Mayflower A Story Of Courage Community And War Summary

Olivia Driscoll

Professor Paris

Term Paper

05/07/2015

Mayflower: A story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick depicts life for the Pilgrims in their first years in the New World. He primarily touches on the economic and social relationships built between the Native Americas and the Pilgrims. He speaks about the alliance they had first formed with the Pilgrims once they had reached the New World and all of the events that caused a war within a short time span. Philbrick also explains the misconceptions he had about this period in time; the Pilgrims symbolized all that was good about America and also how cruel Europeans were to have killed innocent Indians upon their arrival to America (pg. 15 the Preface). Although history

They took some corn knowingly with a fear that their crops would not grow in the New World. The Native Americans would see this as stealing from them while the Pilgrims fear they will starve and are simply doing it to help their colony survive. Later, Christopher Jones, part owner and commander of the Mayflower, set out with thirty some individuals to find the corn they had taken from the Indians and hoped that it had started to grow. (Page 88) They found the corn growing even under the snow. Then later in December the Pilgrims sailed to Plymouth Harbor where they began building. There was a large rock at the foot of the hill there and no evidence stating someone else had ever stepped foot their so they named it Plymouth Rock. A decrease in food and sickness amongst the passengers became a growing problem for the Pilgrims. Only seven houses and four common houses were built in their first year because of the death that would take the lives of many

The town was now protected but this is where conflict began to escalate between the Indians and the Pilgrims. Squanto, jealous of the power of Massasoit, shaped a situation that would make it seem like Massasoit was trying to turn on the Pilgrims. When Massasoit heard of this, he insisted Squanto be put to death for showing betrayal, however William Bradford insisted that he was necessary for translating and also for their survival. When the Pilgrims thought things couldn’t get any worse, Thomas Weston abandoned them and their settlement in search for a new one. A letter was received by a fisherman later explaining that Jamestown had been attacked and over three hundred colonists were killed. Because of William Bradford insisting on keeping Squanto alive, the relationship between the Pilgrims and the Indians began to take a toll on them. Squanto began acting loyal to the Pilgrims as well as Massasoit but before their departure to another settlement site, Squanto became suddenly ill and died. It's rumored that Massasoit killed him with Indian poisonings, but not confirmed. The Pilgrims would then look to Hobbamock, a warrior who had shown great respect and loyalty to