Notes

Section I
Summarize this section this in a sentence.
Montaigne once knew a man who claimed to have discovered a land mass that was very big, however Montaigne doubted that there are many more like it for men to search for.
Section II
Summarize this section in a couple of sentences.
It is highly likely that this new piece of land that has been discovered in the new world is terra firma or a continent, and not an island. The man that provides Montaigne with information on the new piece of land is considered to be plain and ignorant fellow it is for this reason that Montaigne has a large amount of belief in him. Montaigne believes that a man as simple as the man that is providing him with the descriptions of the island is either undeniably honest, or incapable or telling a lie. Everyone except for Montaigne, who visits the island believes that it is very barbaric, however in Montaigne's opinion this is mainly based on the fact that their only source of comparison is the land that they come from. The real savages in Montaigne's opinion are those that think the natives are barbarians/savages, being that they originally started out like people on the island, but as a result of altering our behaviors from what coincides with nature they are actually the savages. Nature is of more value than art and culture, however we have altered her so much that we have harmed her in certain areas, however in other areas her beauty is still unmatched.
Why does Montaigne trust the speaker? Be specific.
Because he is a, " a plain ignorant fellow", who is in comparison much more trustworthy than, " your better bred sort of men", because they are more likely to alter the stories they tell by altering descriptions in order to include their own point of view, and adding in fallacies to appease men that are of higher rank than them. A man that is plain and ignorant such as the speaker, is either incapable of lying or a man of undeniable honesty.
Look at the sentence I’ve highlighted in green: this is one of Montaigne’s key points. Write a short expansion of this sentence, putting it in your own terms.
In those, the genuine, most useful and natural virtues and properties are vigorous and sprightly, which we have helped to degenerate in these, by accommodating them to the pleasure of our own corrupted palate.
In those that have not been changed and still remain true(the people of New France), the properties of goodness, and liveliness, which are properties that are missing from the civilized areas. People from the civilized nations work to change the people that live in New France, who they consider to flawed, by introducing them to their own culture, and religion, which is in actuality what Montaigne considers to be flawed.
Section IV
Do you recognize the section highlighted in yellow? Why do you think I’ve highlighted it?
I do not recognize the section highlight in yellow, however I believe that I was highlighted to show how the community of New France is the exact opposite of the community that we live in. Most of the elements that Montaigne lists such as, "no matter of traffic, no knowledge of letters, and no science of numbers........", are elements that define our community.
Section V
In the first paragraph, what connotation does Montaigne use to describe life in the New World? What are some specific elements that he mentions?
Montaigne uses words such as "pleasant" and "temperate" to describe the life in the New World, the word pleasant of course has a positive connotation, and temperate is usually used to describe land that has weather that is usually pleasing. Both of the main words used by Montaigne to describe the New World have positive connotations, to relay to the reader that the life in the New World is in a good state. He mentions how the homes in the villages are built, how the men in the village shave, what the villagers eat and drink usually, and the importance of "valor towards their enemies and love towards their wives".
The paragraph that begins “They have continual war with the nations…” describes cannibalistic traditions. By comparing them with the Scythians, what observations does Montaigne make about the New Worlder’s attitudes towards cannibalism?
The New Worlders are not eating the humans like the Ancient Scythians did for the purpose of nutrition instead the New Worlders are killing and eating people as a representation of extreme revenge that they are taking on their enemy.
Section VI
Look at the blue section- here Montaigne makes a criticism of “civilized” France. What is the criticism?
The King at the time was very young and it appeared foolish to the people of the New World that strong men that were much older than him, and the appeared much more competent at holding the position of King, were guarding a young boy and obeying his every commands.
Look at the grey section- here Montaigne makes a second criticism of “civilized” France. What is the criticism?
The people of the New World don't understand why they call other men halves, who typically are impoverished and hungry, and why the the people of civilizes France refuse to help these "halfs".