More Speeches

Speech #7 tomorrow! Here's a rough draft. (I've still got a few hours!)

Project #7
Research Your Topic

“Who were the Huguenots?”

Do you know where you came from? Who were your grandparents? Where did they live? What did they believe? Can you go back further? Who were their grandparents? Where did they live? What did they believe? How far back can you go? And then, come back around to you: would you do what they did if you were in their shoes?

I. Introduction
a. Started researching my family history on January 1.
b. Two questions?
i. What are all my cousins’ names? (I have 36.)
ii. Why did we come to America?
c. Here’s what I’ve got so far –
i. [show Pedigree]
ii. Dad’s side – Dad, grandpa, August born in Sweden.
1. My dad’s family came from Sweden in 1900. I’ve found some descriptions of them and their homes: it appears that introversion goes way back. Even though I know all the names, I haven’t yet found out why they came to this country.
iii. Mom’s side
1. Grandpa (president of his Toastmasters organization, by the way.)
2. His grandfather born in New York – all were back to Abraham born 1670 in France, but married 1694 in New York. Sometime between 1670 and 1694, Abraham’s father Hugo moved their family to New York. (Remember those dates!)
d. I’d always heard that my French ancestors were Huguenots. This is what I’ve researched for this speech, and I’d like to tell you who they were and why my 9th great Grandfather likely came to New York.

II. Huguenots
a. In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 discussion points to a church door and the German Reformation began – Paris reformation followed, with its first protestant martyr in 1523, and soon involved leaders like John Calvin.
b. The Huguenots were simply French Protestants or Reformers.
c. 1534, they protested with posters – created many refugees to Germany
d. Number of protestant churches quickly increased, Protestants became involved in politics.
e. Weren’t pacifists. They were known for their fiery criticisms of Catholic worship. They attacked Catholic icons and churches. They even had a plan to kidnap the king. This plot failed and led to a massacre of Protestants by soldiers of a powerful Roman Catholic family. The Protestant Reformers fought back. This War of Religion became a civil war in France and went on for forty years.
f. The Huguenots hoped for a Protestant king, but they fought for full religious freedoms. Finally, a Protestant heir became king in 1593, but he converted to Catholicism under pressure. But, he did issue the Edict of Nantes that gave religious freedom to the Protestants and ended the civil war.
g. 1640’s: there was more fighting, and the Huguenots were defeated. They kept their religious freedom, but lost their military.
h. The Roman Catholics continued to harass the Protestants with forcible conversions, dragonnades – particularly obnoxious soldiers were set up in Huguenot houses, just to wreak havoc.
i. Finally in 1685, Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes, making Protestantism illegal.
j. 400,000 Protestants moved out of France – to England, Prussia, Netherlands, and America.

III. So, 1685. That’s about the same time my 9th great-grandfather came to New York.
a. Many of the Huguenots were city dwellers, industrious people. I like to think that he helped to found New York, and this country.
b. He was forced out of his home country because of his beliefs.
c. Lived in New York for at least 40 years – lost some of his children, but also saw grandchildren born.
d. In America, the Huguenots primarily merged with other reformed denominations like the Baptists and the Presbyterians.

IV. Do I feel related to them?
a. Related to my Dad’s side by personality, quiet religion
b. I have not been taught the Huguenot’s violent form of evangelism, though I’m honored to be part of a family that would rather fight or leave than give up their beliefs.
c. Ironic that I’ve returned to Calvinism, though my grandparents wouldn’t have approved.
d. Is there a religious conflict in America now?
i. We have a freedom of religion, though it’s still debated though issues of prayer in school and nativity displays at Christmas and whether a judge’s church religious views should affect his rulings.
ii. Bigger conflict against Postmodernism – a general discontent against anyone who believes anything.

V. Would I do what my 9th Great Grandfather did if I was in France?
a. I hope I would have kept my beliefs.
b. I may not have had his sense of adventure! (I might have gone to England instead.)

VI. So, do you know where you came from?
a. Some of you came to the United States yourself. Some of you have family members who immigrated to the United States who are still alive. Why did you come here? Make sure to write down your reasons and your hopes, and save them in a safe place.