Of Plymouth Plantation

Of Plymouth Plantationby William Bradford
Chapter IX

OF THEIR VOYAGE, AND HOW THEY PASSED THE SEA; AND OF THEIR SAFE ARRIVAL AT CAPE COD

“These troubles being blown over, and now all being compact together in one ship, they put to sea again with a prosperous wind, which continued divers days together, which was some encouragement unto them; yet, according to the usual manner, many were afflicted with seasickness.”

“Being thus arrived in a good harbor, and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth, their proper element.”

“What could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace?” “May not and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: "Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity," etc. "Let them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good: and His mercies endure forever." "Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, show how He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor.” “When they wandered in the desert wilderness out of the way, and found no city to dwell in, both hungry and thirsty, their soul was overwhelmed in them. Let them confess before the Lord His loving kindness and His wonderful works before the sons of men."

From: http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/english/coke/bradford.htm

Reflection:

The story, Of Plymouth Plantation is an amazing story of the hardships that many immigrants lived through on there trip to the new land. The reason why I pick these passages was because they gave me a huge influence and meaning to express them to who ever reads them. I pick them because it expresses the need of survival and the tragedy of the ride over the sea. I pick them because they gave the meaning of being thankful to be on land and to be alive. It expresses the will of the immigrants to survive through the sea, through the wildness, and through there many hardships.


Dear Dairy:

Traveling over the great sea, to accomplish the only dream and hope we have left which, is to reach the new land. The new land will open many opportunity's to be free from Britain's wrath. Although the adults think that Britain will never really leave us alone, I am scared and worry about what lies ahead. I am constanly feeling the waves hit against the boat, and the wind howling through the sails. People are being tossed around as if they were rocks falling into a pond. The sea is rought, and hard, it's always a crazy ride were no one knows the outcome of it, will we be able to survive the night. With thoughts of death coming into mind, many individuals move towards God, in there wait for survival some consider this as a trail to show how loyal they are to him. Seeing the light of day, gives us hope knowing that we surived the night and we are all still alive. Happiness spreads through out the camp at the sight of land. Our new life will finally begin, as we get off the boat, our eyes begin to consume the beauty of nature, which as not yet been touch by man. Everyone is cheerful to be able to walk on solid land again and I am glad that we can begin our dreams to start anew.

-Jane

Essential Question Reflection:

The Pilgirms coming to America seek the "American Dream", the Dream to be away from Britian to be able to make there own civilize world. Through all the troubles they been through, is the American Dream worth going through the trouble. The white men lived through the angry sea, they lived through the diease and death. Then when they thought things couldn't get worst they reach land were they meet savages and bad land to grow crops. The American Dream can be seen as a flase hope but, for those who work hard they can achieve anything.