In this excerpt from his 1836 work, Rev. Brownlee warns Americans of the threat that Roman Catholicism poses to American ideals. Which American ideals in particular does he think are threatened by Catholicism? How does he appeal to history to make his case? In other words, what lessons about the history of Catholicism does Brownlee want his American audience to learn?
Question 2— Discussion 200 words
Topic—The Myth of the Inquisition
Use this discussion to consider a number of questions centered on this topic: what does the myth of the Spanish Inquisition teach us about the importance of historical revision? Discuss one or more of the following questions:
How were the events of the Inquisition misremembered or distorted by Protestants?
How did American memory of the Inquisition contribute to fear of Catholicism?
What does it mean that present-day depictions of the Inquisition often exaggerate its violence? What biases or prejudices contribute to this lingering myth?
