Nathaniel Philbrick Journal

Tanya Barragan
Scott Lankford
English 48A

Nathaniel Philbrick

11/22/2011

AUTHOR’S QUOTE

“As Massachusetts moved into the region with outposts of its own, tensions rose between the Pilgrims and the Puritans. But as became increasingly clear, the sheer size of what is now known as the Great Migration meant that Plymouth had no choice but to be shunted aside as it watched dozens of Puritan settlements spring up to the north and south.” (177)

INTERNET QUOTE

“The book, of course, debunks many of the stories taught to us in elementary school. The “Pilgrims” were only a subset of the entire group who came over initially. The famous “Mayflower Compact” was actually an effort by the Pilgrim group (the Separatists) to get the “Strangers” among them to join in agreement that a single government among the entire group was their best protection against internal and external threats. Its fascinating to see that this simple agreement that people decided among themselves the need for a government to organize them became the seed of the United States a hundred and fifty years later.”

http://www.dracutforum.net/2010/06/28/mayflower-by-nathaniel-philbrick/

SUMMARY

Nathaniel Philbrick writes in Mayflower not only the beginning with the first settlers at Plymouth; the pilgrims with the Wampanoags but the truth with their relationship and the real settlers that came and changed the ways of what the Natives once new. Philbrick tells the story in which the pilgrims and Wampanoags were not the best of friends but relied on each other for trade and food and were in agreement that they both needed each other. However Philbrick also explains that it is the next settlers that came on the Seaflower, were the change of the world of the Natives with their overpowering and new ways and wanted this new land that belonged to the Natives. But he also explains the relationship and bad treatment that they also had with the pilgrims. In all, if anyone got in their way, it was a war or battle to fight for life, land, or fair treatment, which the Natives and Pilgrims would lose in the end.

YOUR IDEAS/REACTIONS/RESPONSES TO THE AUTHOR’S IDEAS

Some of the ideas that I got from Philbrick is that he wanted to state the truth in our history with what really happened at Plymouth. But I also got that he wanted to share the story of the Pilgrims when they first landed form the Mayflower and their relationship with the Wampanoags. I think because history has taught many of us a story of the first Thanksgiving and it seemed so peaceful; that Philbrick wanted to show the reader that it wasn’t like that at all. But I also got that he was stating everything that happened with other settlers and their treatment to the Natives because this is really the reality and he wanted us to see that and not pretend that their horrible treatment never happened. I reacted to Philbrick’s work as good, because he states the truth. I think that Philbrick telling the real story, gives us an idea of the true facts of history and I liked that because I always like facts.

The statement that I chose was something that really stood out to me. Not only did these new settlers that came from the Seaflower take the land and life form the Natives, but they did the same with the Pilgrims. Even though it was not their land as well, they were there before the new settlers, trying to keep peace with the Natives to survive working with them by trading and they did this for 50 years. But the new settlers came over to the new land and took over trying to over power everyone and they did. There was nothing the Pilgrims could do to change the way these Puritans were doing things and had to step back and follow the new ways. With all this, this is why I liked the Internet quote that I chose because it goes well with Philbrick. The Pilgrims themselves made an agreement with the Natives to survive and live. Forming a government and it was something that lasted and stayed with us until now. Even when the Puritans took over, it was the way they ruled with their government but the Pilgrims and Natives were not given an agreement, it was something they had to do. All this agreement government stuff followed with each settler that kept taking land from what ever Natives and as they kept moving and moving, the agreements and government would follow. Even now, when you think about it, we are under agreement to follow rules, to live and survive.