OF PLYMOUTH PLANTATION
By William Bradford
The Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth
In 1620, the Puritans (Pilgrims)
sail in treacherous seas from
Holland to Virginia. A storm
blows the Mayflower off course,
and the ship lands in present day
Massachusetts. A few months
after their arrival, nearly half of
the 100 Pilgrims have died of
disease.
Native Americans
befriend the Pilgrims and return
the tools they had previously
stolen.
Squanto becomes an
interpreter, guide, and teacher to
the Pilgrims, who learn to
provide for themselves, and
celebrate the first Thanksgiving
after the harvest.
Study the picture and describe
how you think these people feel.
A Guide to Puritan Life
The Puritans were a serious group of people
who put God and hard work first in their lives.
They rarely had any time for fun or good times.
They believed in strict conformity and a very
strict version of God. They wore very simple
clothes and did not allow dancing, which they
saw as sinful against God. They believed that
witches were real, and that they make a deal
with the devil for their magic powers. They
worked together as a community to build their
towns, but this often led to a fear of outsiders
and nonconformity. People who dared to
threaten this world order were either banished
into the woods or were killed, sometimes
accused of witchcraft. The Puritans believed in
a "fire and brimstone" method of preaching,
and led lives in fear of an angry God.
Sometimes their strictness led to horrific things
happening in their community, like the Salem
Witch Trials.
Thou shalt not miss church and community meetings.
Thou shalt work hard and support my fellow pilgrims.
Thou shalt worship a strict and Christian God.
Thou shalt put the Lord first in my life and obey his words.
Thou shalt live by the 10 Commandments as written in the
Holy Bible.
Thou shalt not dress in bright colors or dance in a wicked
manner.
Thou shalt not perform witchery nor conjure the devil.
Thou shalt not have any opinions or beliefs not held by the
entire community.
Thou shalt build my home simply and not clutter it with
decorations.
Thou whom shalt disobey these commandments will be
banished or be hanged
Some of Our First Immigrants
What would be some of the hardships that would accompany an extended sea
voyage as well as the difficulties in building a colony? What hardships would the
colonists face? What do you think would get them through those hardships?
The Time and Place
Ocean travel in 17th century England was hazardous. Ships were made
of wood and easily damaged if they hit shoals (sandbars or shallow
spots in the water). Sometimes, strong waves caused ships to “seele”,
or lurch suddenly from side to side. In fierce winds, sails were lowered
by heavy ropes called, “halyards,” and ships would have to “hull” or
drift at sea. Storms and wind shifts sometimes made it necessary for
the Mayflower to change directions (“tack about”) and to head for (or
“stand for”) a different course. Destined for Virginia, the Mayflower
eventually landed on the coast of what is now Massachusetts.
The passage you are about to read is taken from William Bradford’s
historic Of Plymouth Plantation. It gives an account of the pilgrims’
experiences on board the Mayflower and in the Plymouth colony in the
1620’s.
Historical Note
The Puritans held to a strict work ethic. They believed the devil finds work for idle
hands. In England the calendar year included about 240 working days, but the Puritans
worked at least 365 days a year, taking holidays only on the Sabbath, election day,
Harvard commencement day, and public Thanksgiving days. The Pilgrim calendar did
not include Christmas as a holiday because it was viewed as a pagan remnant.
On the Lighter
Side
Puritanism –
Beginnings and Change
American writer H.L.
Mencken said in 1949,
“Puritanism is the
haunting fear that
someone, somewhere,
may be happy.”
If you had been living during the seventeenth century and given
the opportunity to come to this new land, would you have come?
Give reasons why.
Important Literary Terms
1.
2.
3.
Diction - A writers choice of words is called diction. It
contributes greatly to Bradford’s writing style and voice. How
would you describe his style on the basis of his choice of
words in the opening paragraph?
Allusion – A reference to a well known piece of work, in
literature, art or documented history is called Allusion. In this
passage, Bradford refers, or alludes to the scriptures from the
Bible. Find them.
Point of View – Throughout the selection, Bradford writes as if
he were not present during these experiences. What might be
his reason for using the third person plural “they” instead of
writing this as a first person narrative?
Why is this different?
Pre-Colonial Times
Modern Times
Discuss what has changed in Americans perception of immigrants and what makes one
iconic and the other problematic.