explorer persuasive essay

Persuasive Essay
Since North America has been discovered many expeditors have explored in the United States, including Cabeza de Veca, Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas and William Bradford. In this essay I will try to persuade you that William Bradford was the best navigator out of all of them by comparing their expeditions, qualities and strengths and weaknesses. Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas was an okay commander. He was smart and a good communicator, “They (Native Americans) provided him guides to proceed on his journey” (de Cardenas 53), the Native Americans did not even no Spanish so this proves he was good at communicating. De Cardenas also was a good navigator, “The descent was almost impossible, but, after these three days, at a place which seemed less difficult” (de Cardenas 53). Just like every navigator he did have some flaws, he and his troops marched for twenty days then spent another three days looking for a way down the river when it only took the Native American three or four day to finish the whole trip. When he and his troops finally reached the bottom they had to turn back because no water was found. The Native Americans take water on their trip and bury some of it for the trip back, all they had to do was ask them. Cabeza de Veca by far, in my opinion, was the worst commander. He started out with 400 people but when it was all said and done only four remained but one good thing he did do was heal a Native American by performing the first recorded surgery in Texas. Even though he might have suck at navigating he did have some good qualities. De Veca was a religious man, “We prayed to God our Lord, to assist us, and the sick began to get well” (de Veca 50), he spoke this when the Native Americans and his companions started becoming sick and dying. He was compassionate and a man of his word, “They (Native Americans) were afraid of losing crops, since for two successive years it had not rained, and the seasons were so dry that the moles had eaten the corn, so they did not dare to plant until it had rain hard”(de Veca 50). Because of this, “… they also begged us to ask Heaven for rain, which we promised to do” (de Veca 50). In my opinion William Bradford was the best commander out of them all. Unlike Cabeza de Veca, only one person died on the way to America from England. He was the governor of the Plymouth Colony for thirty years after the first governor died during his first year of office, this shows that he was in some way a good leader. Bradford was a great sea navigator, “They were encountered many times with crosswinds, and met with many fierce storms, which the ship was shrewdly shaken, and her upper works made very leaky; and one of the main beams in the mid ships was bowed and cracked” (Bradford 59), even through all of these hardships they never had to turn back and the ship did not sink. Once the Pilgrims landed in America many of the colonizers were afraid of Indian attacks but Governor William Bradford had a solution, “With whom after friendly entertainment and some gifts given him (Squanto), they made peace with him in these terms…” (Bradford 64). Through all their flaws and weaknesses Cabeza de Veca, Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas and William Bradford were all great expeditors but I believe William Bradford had less flaws and weaknesses. At the end of the day William Bradford delivered the Pilgrims to America and if it was not for him we would not have the chance to live in the greatest country in the world.