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Johnny Appleseed Essay

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The legend of Johnny Appleseed developed from the historical account of John Chapman because the two characters have many similarities in their traits and their journey. Basically, Johnny Appleseed and Jonathan Chapman are the same people, but the legend exaggerates his character traits, and the historical accounts state the facts about him. In both accounts, he is very religious because he has his Bible, which shows Christian belief, with him. The two people also plant apple trees throughout the frontiers of America. Johnny Appleseed/John Chapman endured many hardships, but Johnny Appleseed endured more difficulties than John Chapman. Therefore, the legend of Johnny Appleseed is an exaggeration of the historical account of John Chapman.

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"Each year, he traveled hundreds of miles on foot wearing a coffee sack with holes cut out for arms and carrying a cooking pot, which he is said to have worn like a cap over his flowing hair." This quote is from the historical account of John Chapman. He encountered many hardships in his journey to the frontiers of America. "Summer and winter he wore only a burlap sack cut with armholes and a cooking pot as a hat... He slept outdoors and ate only meals of bread and milk so as not to harm any creature in the pursuit of food. Even those nights when a frontier family took him in, he refused a bed in favor of the floor and requested only porridge to eat. He carried no weapons and he wore no shoes. Folks marveled at his ability to walk barefoot through snow and brambles without pain. Once, they say, a venomous snake failed to bite Johnny’s foot because his skin was tough as leather." This quote is from the legend of Johnny Appleseed, and it shows all of the hardships John Chapman faced, and much more. This shows that the makers of the legend of Johnny Appleseed used the real John Chapman's hardship and endurance as well as adding more hardships to make the legend more entertaining. John Chapman also wore a burlap sack and a cooking pot as a hat, as described in the historical text, but he didn't do the other things listed above. Therefore, people like to hear Johnny Appleseed more than

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