John Locke's State of Nature and the Colonial Legacy in America

Rousseau proposed imagining how humans would be before society existed, in a 'state of nature' without government or civilization. This was an experiment to isolate what is natural in humans from what is artificially imposed by civilization. He argued that in this natural state, humans lived better with more justice according to the 'law of nature.' He proposed a social contract as a solution to restore human freedom and equality, where people create laws to govern themselves collectively.

The state of nature is a pre-social condition where no government, laws, or contracts exist. The social contract is an agreement among community members (or between members and the sovereign) that emerges from this state. The sovereign is the legitimate head of state who gains power after the social contract is established.

Rousseau theorizes that humans enjoyed total freedom and equality in the state of nature, living without law or political institutions. He proposes a fictional narrative about how individuals were forced together to form societies, developing new affects like property desire and self-love. This led to domination by those who appropriated land and servitude for others. Natural goodness was lost, and society became a machine pulling people toward downfall. The urgent matter became defining a social act allowing men to live in peace despite losing natural goodness. Rousseau's real problem is knowing how man can regain freedom now that he lives in society, and the answer is a pact—a contract.

Rousseau's concept of the 'noble savage' describes humans as naturally good in their state of nature, before government and social organization. This hypothetical condition of peaceful, cooperative existence contrasts with civil society, which Rousseau believed corrupted human nature. His philosophy emphasizes that humans find security and happiness through community and mutual recognition, challenging the view that humans are naturally selfish.

Rousseau's theory of the state of nature holds that humans were originally peaceful and self-sufficient, living only to satisfy basic needs. Unlike Hobbes' view that humans are naturally hostile, Rousseau believed that humans only become violent when they acquire reason and begin recognizing themselves and others. This recognition leads to the formation of civil society through a social contract. The key insight is that the problem is not human nature itself but the social structures that distort it.

The game is set during the early 17th century when Puritan settlers fled religious persecution in England to establish colonies in the New World. These settlers faced numerous challenges including treacherous ocean voyages, scurvy, fear of death, and conflicts with local tribes. The narrative incorporates authentic historical elements such as the Pilgrims' journey aboard the Mayflower to Plymouth Rock, their initial struggles with famine and sickness, and their reliance on indigenous allies like Squanto who helped them survive through trade and knowledge sharing. This historical context provides the foundation for the survival mechanics and challenges players face in building and sustaining their colonies.

17th century colonization occurred through two main types: grassroots colonization driven by religious minorities fleeing persecution (like English Puritans and French Huguenots seeking freedom), and state-sanctioned colonization conducted by national trading companies focused entirely on resource acquisition and profit. The French West India Company colonized parts of the Lesser Antilles and Western Hispaniola, while Dutch counterparts established New Amsterdam (later New York) on Manhattan Island.

British colonial expansion began significantly later than Portuguese and Spanish colonization, starting at the end of the 16th century during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. The English established colonies through chartered companies like the Virginia Company and the East India Company, which received monopolistic rights from the Crown. This corporate colonialism combined public and private interests, often leading to corruption. The English Empire was built on piracy and privateering, with the Crown issuing letters of marque to attack Spanish ships. The Spanish Empire was the primary target of English predation, as it was the richest country in the 17th century. In the 17th century, England was far from being uniformly Protestant, with numerous sects including Puritans, Levellers, and Jewish-influenced groups. The English government actively persecuted these diverse religious groups, leading many to flee to the American colonies. The colonies often established their own regimes of religious intolerance, particularly against Catholics. The first English colony in America, Jamestown (1607), was established as a commercial enterprise seeking to find a route to the Indies. The colony included a communist utopian experiment where all goods were distributed equally, which failed because when everyone received equal shares, no one wanted to work, leading to food shortages and cannibalism. Slavery was not a new phenomenon introduced by European colonization but had existed for centuries before. In the 17th century, there were more English slaves than black slaves in England because of the long history of slave trading. The English word for slave ('esclavo') is related to the word for Slav ('eslavo'), reflecting the historical connection between slavery and the enslavement of Slavic peoples. The medieval slavery trade was controlled by Jews and Moors who circulated slaves throughout Europe. When European powers began colonizing the Americas, they adopted and expanded these existing slave trading networks. The English developed a racial ideology that viewed Africans as inferior to whites, which was used to justify slavery. This ideology was particularly strong in Virginia and became a defining characteristic of American slavery. The English and Dutch empires enslaved Irish people, particularly Catholics, and transported them to the Caribbean, especially Barbados. New York was originally founded by the Dutch as New Amsterdam, not by the English. The Dutch West India Company established it as a commercial trading post, paying Native Americans approximately 24 dollars for the island of Manhattan. The Dutch were expelled by the English in 1664, and the colony was renamed New York. The Anglo-Dutch wars resulted in significant territorial changes, with England capturing Suriname from the Dutch and exchanging it for New York. Maryland was founded as a Catholic colony by Lord Baltimore, who received a charter from King Charles I. It was the only colony where Catholics had religious freedom, and a Jesuit mission was established there. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn, a Quaker who had been granted a charter by King Charles II in exchange for debt relief. The colony was based on Quaker principles of religious tolerance, equality, and pacifism. Penn established a constitution that guaranteed religious freedom and equal rights for all inhabitants. The colony became a center of religious tolerance and attracted diverse populations, including Jews, Germans, and other religious minorities. The Quakers believed in complete social equality, including gender equality, and were considered the founders of feminism. They opposed slavery and advocated for the abolition of the institution. Carolina was founded by the Lord Proprietors, a group of wealthy English nobles who received a charter from King Charles II. The colony was administered by these proprietors rather than by the Crown, and they established a system of government that was different from other colonies. Georgia was founded in 1732 as a colony for debtors and refugees who had been expelled from other colonies. The colony was established by James Oglethorpe, who was motivated by humanitarian concerns and the desire to provide a refuge for those who had been persecuted or had fallen on hard times.

The 17th century marked the beginning of significant North American colonization when the French founded Quebec and Montreal, and the English re-established Virginia. The Pilgrims took three months and five days to sail from Plymouth, England to New Plymouth. The Dutch founded New Amsterdam (later New York), the Swedes founded New Sweden (later Delaware), and John Locke wrote the constitution for the new state of Carolina, named in honor of King Charles I.

The colonization of America by England was driven by the political, religious, social, and economic context of the 17th century. This period, transitioning from the Tudor era of Elizabeth I to the Stuart era, created conditions that prompted people to migrate from England and the British world to North America. The religious persecution and political tensions during this time were key factors that motivated emigration.

In English grammar, 'land' is used when contrasting with 'sea' (referring to terrestrial areas opposite to water), while 'ground' is used when contrasting with 'air' (referring to the earth's surface opposite to the sky). For example, 'a bird that spends its life on the land' means a bird that lives on land rather than in water, whereas 'a bird spends its life on the ground' means a bird that cannot fly and lives on the earth's surface.

The lyrics contain two distinct words at the end: 'together' (00:01:55) and 'foreign' (00:02:50). These words represent contrasting concepts - 'together' implies unity, connection, and collective identity, while 'foreign' suggests something external, different, or outside one's own group. The juxtaposition of these words may indicate a theme exploring relationships between insiders and outsiders, or the tension between belonging and difference.

This segment explores contrasting concepts and everyday life. Opposites are words with opposite meanings, such as big and small, or hot and cold. Feathers fall slowly due to their lightness. The sun acts like a lamp lighting our planet, while the moon reflects sunlight from a great distance. People should drink at least two liters of water daily for hydration. Grandparents often take grandchildren to play areas and help with tasks. Turtles are calm animals that move slowly and carry their shells on their backs.

This segment teaches contrasting concepts (slow vs quick) and cause-effect relationships through songs. The song about a garden snail and mouse teaches 'slowly, slowly, very slowly' versus 'quickly, quickly, very quickly,' with the child practicing both movements. 'The Itsy Bitsy Spider' demonstrates cause and effect: rain washed the spider out, but the sun dried the rain and allowed the spider to go up the spout again. This shows how songs can teach abstract concepts like speed and natural cause-effect relationships through memorable narrative and physical movement.

This segment teaches the concept of opposites through examples. The elephant is big, and the opposite of big is small. The mouse is small. The soup is hot, and the opposite of hot is cold. The ice cream is cold. The hair is fast, and the opposite of fast is slow. The tortoise is slow. The dishes are dirty, and the opposite of dirty is clean. This helps children understand contrasting concepts and vocabulary.