Of Plymouth Plantation

"Thus it pleased God to vanquish their enemies and give them deliverance; and by His special providence so to dispose that not any one of them were either hurt or hit, though their arrows came close by them and on every side of them..." -William Bradford in Of Plymouth Plantation


     This statement was somewhat shocking to me because Bradford is implying that they, the Puritans, overpowered the Native Americans because they had God on their side.  He even says that it was pleasing to God to "vanquish" them.  I think the Puritans believed God to be on their side because they believed they were striving to live according to his commands and be free from worldly corruption while the Native Americans obviously were not, in their opinion.  Bradford even refers to them as "savage barbarians" earlier in the text. This makes me question- under what circumstances is God on our side as Americans?  I think it is an interesting idea to think about when it comes to the wars we've fought in, the way we've treated people, and the way we move forward now.  Abraham Lincoln said, "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right."  This is the opposite of how the Puritans thought about it.
     I think different people would answer my question very differently, depending on how they view God, as well as America.  Although I'm not sure what "qualifies" you to have God back you up,  it's an interesting thought for us as a nation as well as for looking back on the history we share.