We think of the pilgrims as our forbearers and we have a right to do so but it is important to remember they and the other new englanders settling at the time did not imagine they were settling United States of america. Nothing could have been further from their minds. They were doing something entirely different. They were about the business of establishing a place where they could enjoy a pure and uncorrupted church. The settlers of virginia were motivated by material considerations, gold, wealth, material wealth. The settlers of new england were driven by religious zeal. Most of them were puritans, men and women of a company spent who believed the church of england had not gone far enough to purge itself of its corrupt aspects and would despair of a cleansing renewal ever coming in their lifetimes, and hence their decision to emigrate to the new beginning. In particular were not only calvinists but separatists, meaning they had separated themselves from the aurch of england as they
Career has focused on americas relationship with the sea in a aing of notable books, from. Y offshore to abrams eyes second, comprehensive in cover not just a voyage or the first war, all of which have recently been done, but in covering the entire story, allowing us, the readers, to enjoy the true benefits of history, which is the scope, to follow consequences of actions through generations and narratives because what nat does best is to tell a story an adventure story, but in many ways, and unexpected adventure story. Look at the cover. I, of course, love it because it is our painting. The mayflower on her arrival. But what i really love is that even though the book is entitled the mayflower, this cover does not put the mayflower front and center. It does not show a ship tossed by waves. That would be the expected adventure story. Instead, it focuses on this little group of pilgrims leading a ship that has brought them through storms and peril, headed off toward shore on the verge of
Religious reasons, went on a journey for personal discovery. So that use of the word pilgrims gives them a group identity, but we all need to remember they themselves did not have a group identity. They were a very heterogeneous group that had to learn to live together. When you think about how did people sound in colonial new england, aboard mayflower and the first few ships that would follow, there were upwards of 17 different dialect regions represented in plymouth that plymouth and they lived in an age prior to recording. Very rarely, unless you were in a big city, did you hear anybody speak english in a way other than your own dialect or accent. Imagine what it is like to be aboard a ship with people, you are trying to figure out, what is she saying to me . Accustomed to are watching television to get our news, to have a newscasters accent. We are accustomed to hearing people speak differently than ourselves. Wasnt always the case back in the 1600s. There are Vocabulary Words and
So people who live there can experience what is like for the pilgrims in their traumatic journey across the atlantic in 1620. What was the last thing they saw before they got on this leaky, creaky ship . And made their way out into the treacherous atlantic, centuries ago . We are going to jump in and take a look at some of those 360s. Prof. Stone where we arent the moment, it is known as the smart key. If you move to the right you can make out the speedwell. We will leave it looking sorry for herself leaving part in the harbor, where there were ship repairs going on. The structure you are seeing now where these fine people having a chat, this is reminiscent of an old fish market, so a lot of the fish would be brought and filletted, that would be done here. Ships would be moored and delivering their fish to those who would box it up and put onto wagons or taken directly to stores outside the buildings behind us. We have tried to make it look much clearer. You can see that it is quite di
Public affairs each week on our series reel america, saturday at 10 00 p. M. , and sunday 4 00 p. M. Eastern on American History tv. Heres a quick look at one of our recent programs. In Plymouth Harbor england, the may flower ii lies at anchor, a famous ship come to life again after three centuries in the pages of history. Shes as accurate a replica of the original as scholars and ship wrights could make her, a gift of englishman to america, a historical tribute far removed from the usual solemn ceremonies, and books, this tribute to history takes the form of living adventure. 337 years after the original set sail for the new world, on the landing stage from which the pilgrims departed, plymouths mayor, bid the Ships Company god speed and smooth sailing. The ceremonies have ended, the adventure about to begin, with the world on this voyage, a contrast from their own land in search of freedom and a new life. 1620 and 1957 are separated by far more than mere passage of time. Crew men had