Into a New Land

After the Pilgrim (Puritans) struggled in the Mayflower ship, their suffering still continued as they landed in a new land. There were some difficulties they face in a new land. First, before the puritans landed in Plymouth, they landed in Cape Cod peninsula, Massachusetts. The passengers decided to step off from Mayflower ship to explore the land. After they explored the land, they found Native Americans graves. Next to those graves, there were some corn. The corn served for the dead, but the Puritans steal it to be eaten by them. When they were stealing the corn, Native Americans saw them and they were angry with that. Like what is told by one of the passengers of Mayflower ship, William Bradford, stated in his book,

“When they met with them, they were readier to fill their sides full of arrows than otherwise.”

As said by William, the Native Americans saw them stealing the corn and then they appointed arrows to the Puritans. With fear, the puritans ran away back to the ship and then sailed again.  

Then, they landed in a new land. Second, as the puritans landed in a Plymouth shore in 22nd December 1620, they decided to build houses. But they were also worried about food and then they knew that the winter would come sooner. Some of the puritans built houses, some of them such as women and child were stay in Mayflower ship. Again, they experienced bad things on the day when the first winter came. The Puritans found it difficult to survive because the weather was terribly cold, they didn't have enough shelter, and they didn't have many preparations for the winter. They ran out of food, and they were unable to plant corps during the winter. The weather was so rough, nearly half of the Puritans died because they were starving or infected by diseases. Each day, there was two or three person died in that winter. During their hard time, about six or seven people who were healthy and strong enough to face this weather.  They didn't get sick or weak. They were very helpful in this difficult period. William Bradford also mentioned in his book, 

“with abundance of toil and hazard of their own health, fetched them wood, made them fires, dressed them meat, made their beds, washed their loathsome clothes, clothed and unclothed them. In a word, did all the homely and necessary offices for them which dainty and queasy stomachs cannot endure to hear named.”

With that, we can know that six or seven people who were healthy and not ill, were willing to help each other. They were very loyal and devoted to take care of the people who are sick. They mutually share their love. After the winter finished, they were also didn't have plan to face the next winter. They didn't know the right way to plant in that area. Moreover, they didn't know what they were going to plant. 

In conclusion, all of the Puritans face really hard time in the new land, half of them died during the first winter because they couldn't bear the bad weather. But some of them survived along the first winter and take care of each other. 

by : ZAHRA AMALIA 1206221336



References:
1.http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/the-mayflower-plymouth-massachusetts-bay-colony.html#lesson
2.The McGraw-Hill Companies, 2002, Literature The Reader's Choice, American Literature – Interactive Student Edition, "Of Plymouth Plantation", p.71

Facing The New World

When they were finally in the new land Plymouth, the pilgrims (puritans) were still facing hardships. Mostly, it was about adapting with the new environment. There were several things that they were doing do accommodate and overcome the problems, and there was also an output or impact from this during-crisis struggling that last up until now which is Thanksgiving Day. Briefly, this entry will discuss what things that the puritans did to overcome and accommodate the problems occurring in the earliest days of their settlement in Plymouth. This entry will also discuss about Thanksgiving Day.

First, it seems that destiny realized the meeting of the helper and the people in need. Based on Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford, an Indian came visiting the puritans who were struggling and facing several problems in the new land. This Indian was not really good speaking English, but the puritans understood quite well. This Indian briefly inducted the puritans with several knowledge related to the new land. Then he referred the puritans to meet Squanto, an Indian who was speaking English way better. It happened to be a good relationship, and it can be said that it was beneficial friendship. Squanto was noted as a special instrument sent by God for the puritan’s good beyond their expectation. What Squanto taught included how to farm, harvest, and hunt.  He was also guiding them to places that were beneficial and profitable for the puritans. For your information, Squanto was so caring and loyal that he never left the puritans until he died. In short, to get ready facing the problems that might be occurring again near in the future, the puritans made a relationship with Indians, and they also learnt several things from the Indians.

Second, to accommodate or overcome the problems that would be facing again in the future, they did several preparations reflecting their experiences. They, as mentioned, had been learning several things and getting knowledge to get them ready from their relationship with Indians, especially from Squanto. Getting ready to face winter had the puritans preparing. For example, they harvested and gathered the harvesting earlier, fitted up their houses so that they could live against the winter. They gathered together in such a place, and they would delegate several jobs such as hunting and fishing. They somehow now lived collaboratively. This situation and condition happens to be the beginning of an occasion that last up until now, which is Thanksgiving Day. They called the gathering Thanksgiving because they were praising this occasion to thank Squanto for everything that he did to have the puritans prepared. They were enjoying the gathering having wild turkeys, corns, and everything that they were farming and producing. Here is a brief video visualizing the history of first Thanksgiving in Plymouth Plantation.

To sum up, the puritans were learning several things to face the hardships in the new world. They reflected their experience so that they could do enough preparation and get ready to live facing the problem in the new world. They learnt so much stuff from Indians and their experience. By the end of the day, they cheered up each other holding such a gathering which is now an occasion called Thanksgiving Day.

IN OVERCOMING CRISIS

            Before, it has been explained that Puritans faced so many obstacles while they were sailing to America. Despite all the obstacles they faced, they managed to arrived in America even though some of them were passed away due to the situation at that time. They overcome their crisis with their strong faith and trust in God. They believed that God will safe them no matter what. Their faith in God must also help them to calm themselves, and give a safe feeling when they were in a crisis situation. In addition, one time, when fierce storms shook the ship and made it leaky, people in the ship started to get panic and scared. Many people  do not think that the ship still could go on and wanted to return, yet the officers persuaded them to stay calm and still in the name of God, to believe his words. Puritans also believed that every hardship that God gave them were a way of God to forgive their sins. So, they just thought that the crisis were just a forgive sign from God. In conclusion, the most important thing that helped Puritans overcame the crisis was their faith and trust in God, and also keep believe in each other.

source : google image

            In this post, I will attach two quotes from a poem about Puritans belief. It actually does not telling us about Puritans' struggle on their way to America or how they overcame the crisis. However, from the poem we can analyze and know about how Puritans mindset to overcame crisis, and how strong their faith in God.

            A poem  titled "Verses Upon the Burning of Our House" is a poem which was made by Anne Bradstreet in 1666. Anne Bradstreet was a devoted Puritan, and almost all of her poem were about religion and how it did to life. The poem was about a house owner who had her house burnt all of sudden in the middle of the night. However, she did not sad about it, yet she thank God for everything He did. The first quote is,

"I blest His name that gave and took,

That laid my goods now in the dust.

Yea, so it was, and so ‘twas just.

It was his own, it was not mine,"

            These lines shows how she believed that everything that she had was Gods. She got nothing, and God just lent it to her and he might took it anytime. Just that also what she thought about the house. Puritans in the ship might also thought that their lives were Gods, so God could take it anytime, for example in the ship on their way to America. So, they did not scared anymore after the officers comforted everyone, and remind everyone about God. The second quote is,

"There‘s wealth enough, I need no more,

Farewell, my pelf, farewell, my store.

The world no longer let me love,

My hope and treasure lies above."

            Devoted Puritans had a feel that they had to obey all the Gods rule, and no to live in glamorous life. They had to be thankful, whether it was a good thing or not. The owner of the house said farewell to the burnt house because she believed that it was a punishment from God because she loved the world too much. The puritans in the ship also lived in simple life, not glamorous life. They could overcome the crisis because they had that kind of mindset that they did not need to live glamourously, yet only had to devoted to God. That was why they left England, and searched for another country to spread their belief.

searched for another country to spread their belief.

source : google image

         In conclusion, the most important way of how Puritans overcome the crisis was by believing and trusting  God. They gave it all to God and they knew what they were doing were right and God would save them. Even if God would not save them, He must be had something better for the Puritans than lived in the world. Believing and rely on one and each other also 

References:

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/mayflower.htm

http://www.gradesaver.com/anne-bradstreet-poems/study-guide/section1/

DEAZ PUTRI 1206203655 

CRISIS TOWARDS A NEW LAND

The Puritans experienced a lot of problems in attempting to practice their religion more freely. In the early 1500s, the religious changes that occurred in the UK are less concerned with doctrinal matters than is the case with the great Protestant Reformation then take place on the European continent. Henry VIII, was originally a Roman Catholic faithful, the Church split over dynastic concerns. Then he tried to eternalize the line of the Tudor monarchy. Despite the emergence of an independent English church, remains deeply divided religious loyalties for decades. However, in reality, the Church of England is slightly different from the Catholic Church, except for the central issue of loyalty to the Pope. This similarity is the remaining issue of grave concern to many people who felt that the English Reformation did not go far enough. A radical minority in the Puritan movement, the Separatists, wanted to remove themselves from the Church of England is tainted and self-worship in the church. The death of Elizabeth I in 1603 also brought major changes to Britain. The new king, James I, bruised feelings of many by asserting his "divine right" to rule and to support the business and public career many English Catholics.

This trend is very disturbing to the Puritans, many of them began to entertain thoughts escape the increasingly repressive environment them. They get permission and link the Virginia Company, a joint venture to set up a British trading settlement in the Virginia area. Based on the permission granted by the Virginia Company, they can sail to Jamestown, Virginia aboard the Mayflower.

When they sailed, they faced so many problems. They experienced crisis in which the reduced amount of clean water. Not only the clean water crisis, but also the minimum number of food supplies. The biggest problem that they faced was the crisis of food and water supplies since food and water are the primary needs of human beings. In addition, they had to face another problem that was the spread of various diseases. It should be realized that the journey from England to America is far enough. It was also a challenge for them to sustain themselves until they got there. They repeatedly faced bad weather the sea, even their ship was hit by a storm, so they wasted away to the north. They landed at the Cape Cod peninsula, Massachusetts. Eventually they settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts beyond the power of the Virginia Company.

In short, the Puritans who migrated to the United States have the primary motivation was religious. Because they are not able to reform the church in England, so they need a new place to apply the teachings and beliefs freely. On the way to new place, America, they had so many problems.