Close Read: Of Plymouth Plantation

Note:
Skills Focus:
1. In the first paragraph of Chapter 9, Bradford tells the story of John Howland. Annotate some of the
language that distinguishes this account from a simple, fact-based retelling of the tale. How does
Bradfords analysis of the events relate to the purpose of the book? Use the annotation tool to write your
response to this question.
2. How does the clause that which was most sad and lamentable build upon the idea of the chapter title,
The Starving Time? To what, exactly, is Bradford referring? How does this compare to the mood of the
start of Chapter 9? Highlight evidence in the text that addresses these questions. Use the annotation tool
to write your response to the questions.
3. What enabled the Pilgrims to survive the Starving Time? What do Bradfords comments reveal about the
Pilgrims character and beliefs? Highlight evidence in the text that addresses these questions. Use the
annotation tool to write your response to the questions.
4. In the chapter Indian Relations, highlight words and phrases that Bradford used to describe Squanto.
Which of these provide evidence of the Pilgrims religious perspective of his arrival? Use the annotation
tool to write your response to this question.
5. Did Bradford think that the peace agreement between the Pilgrims and the native peoples was favorable
or detrimental? Highlight evidence in the text that addresses this question. Use the annotation tool to write
your response to the question.
6. Reread the final paragraph and think about the reports the Pilgrims sent back to England. What effect might
these letters have had on their friends and relatives overseas? How might their reports have shaped
Americas early identity?

Read
FromChapter9:OfTheirVoyage,andHowTheyPassedtheSea;andofTheirSafeArrivalatCape
Cod(September,1620)

Insundryofthesestormsthewindsweresofierceandtheseassohigh,astheycouldnotbearaknotof
sail,butwereforcedtohullfordiversdaystogether.Andinoneofthem,astheythuslayathullinamighty
storm,alustyyoungmancalledJohnHowland,cominguponsomeoccasionabovethegratingswas,with
aseeleoftheship,thrownintosea;butitpleasedGodthathecaughtholdofthetopsailhalyardswhich
hungoverboardandranoutatlength.Yetheheldhishold(thoughhewassundryfathomsunderwater)till
hewashauledupbythesameropetothebrimofthewater,andthenwithaboathookandothermeans
gotintotheshipagainandhislifesaved.Andthoughhewassomethingillwithit,yethelivedmanyyears

afterandbecameaprofitablememberbothinchurchandcommonwealth.Inallthisvoyagetherediedbut
oneofthepassengers,whichwasWilliamButten,ayouth,servanttoSamuelFuller,whentheydrewnear
thecoast.

...

Beingthusarrivedinagoodharbor,andbroughtsafetoland,theyfellupontheirkneesandblessedthe
GodofHeavenwhohadbroughtthemoverthevastandfuriousocean,anddeliveredthemfromallthe
perilsandmiseriesthereof,againtosettheirfeetonthefirmandstableearth,theirproperelement.And
nomarveliftheywerethusjoyful,seeingwiseSenecawassoaffectedwithsailingafewmilesonthe
coastofhisownItaly,asheaffirmed,thathehadratherremaintwentyyearsonhiswaybylandthanpass
byseatoanyplaceinashorttime,sotediousanddreadfulwasthesameuntohim.

ButhereIcannotbutstayandmakeapause,andstandhalfamazedatthispoorpeople'spresent
condition;andsoIthinkwillthereader,too,whenhewellconsidersthesame.Beingthuspassedthevast
ocean,andaseaoftroublesbeforeintheirpreparation(asmayberememberedbythatwhichwent
before),theyhadnownofriendstowelcomethemnorinnstoentertainorrefreshtheirweatherbeaten
bodies;nohousesormuchlesstownstorepairto,toseekforsuccor.ItisrecordedinScriptureasamercy
totheApostleandhisshipwreckedcompany,thatthebarbariansshowedthemnosmallkindnessin
refreshingthem,butthesesavagebarbarians,whentheymetwiththem(asafterwillappear)werereadier
tofilltheirsidesfullofarrowsthanotherwise.Andfortheseasonitwaswinter,andtheythatknowthe
wintersofthatcountryknowthemtobesharpandviolent,andsubjecttocruelandfiercestorms,
dangeroustotraveltoknownplaces,muchmoretosearchanunknowncoast.

FromChapter11:TheStarvingTime(Winter,16201621)

Butthatwhichwasmostsadandlamentablewas,thatintwoorthreemonths'timehalfoftheircompany
died,especiallyinJanuaryandFebruary,beingthedepthofwinter,andwantinghousesandother
comforts;beinginfectedwiththescurvyandotherdiseaseswhichthislongvoyageandtheir
inaccommodateconditionhadbroughtuponthem.Soastherediedsometimestwoorthreeofadayin
theforesaidtime,thatof100andoddpersons,scarcefiftyremained.Andofthese,inthetimeofmost
distress,therewasbutsixorsevensoundpersonswhototheirgreatcommendations,beitspoken,
sparednopainsnightnorday,butwithabundanceoftoilandhazardoftheirownhealth,fetchedthem
wood,madethemfires,dressedthemmeat,madetheirbeds,washedtheirloathsomeclothes,clothed
andunclothedthem.Inaword,didallthehomelyandnecessaryofficesforthemwhichdaintyandqueasy
stomachscannotenduretohearnamed;andallthiswillinglyandcheerfully,withoutanygrudginginthe
least,showinghereintheirtrueloveuntotheirfriendsandbrethren;arareexampleandworthytobe
remembered.TwoofthesesevenwereMr.WilliamBrewster,theirreverendElder,andMylesStandish,
theirCaptainandmilitarycommander,untowhommyselfandmanyothersweremuchbeholdeninourlow
andsickcondition.AndyettheLordsoupheldthesepersonsasinthisgeneralcalamitytheywerenotat
allinfectedeitherwithsicknessorlameness....


IndianRelations

AllthiswhiletheIndianscameskulkingaboutthem,andwouldsometimesshowthemselvesaloofoff,but
whenanyapproachednearthem,theywouldrunaway;andoncetheystoleawaytheirtoolswherethey
hadbeenatworkandweregonetodinner.Butaboutthe16thofMarch,acertainIndiancameboldly
amongstthemandspoketotheminbrokenEnglish,whichtheycouldwellunderstandbutmarveledatit.
Atlengththeyunderstoodbydiscoursewithhim,thathewasnotoftheseparts,butbelongedtothe
easternpartswheresomeEnglishshipscametofish,withwhomhewasacquaintedandcouldname
sundryofthembytheirnames,amongstwhomhehadgothislanguage.Hebecameprofitabletothemin
acquaintingthemwithmanythingsconcerningthestateofthecountryintheeastpartswherehelived,
whichwasafterwardprofitableuntothem;asalsoofthepeoplehere,oftheirnames,numberand
strength,oftheirsituationanddistancefromthisplace,andwhowaschiefamongstthem.Hisnamewas
Samoset.HetoldthemalsoofanotherIndianwhosenamewasSquanto,anativeofthisplace,whohad
beeninEnglandandcouldspeakbetterEnglishthanhimself.

Being,aftersometimeofentertainmentandgiftsdismissed,awhileafterhecameagain,andfivemore
withhim,andtheybroughtagainallthetoolsthatwerestolenawaybefore,andmadewayforthecoming
oftheirgreatSachem,calledMassasoit.Who,aboutfourorfivedaysafter,camewiththechiefofhis
friendsandotherattendance,withtheaforesaidSquanto.Withwhom,afterfriendlyentertainmentand
somegiftsgivenhim,theymadeapeacewithhim(whichhathnowcontinuedthis24years)inthese
terms:
1. Thatneitherhenoranyofhisshouldinjureordohurttoanyoftheirpeople.
2. Thatifanyofhisdidhurttoanyoftheirs,heshouldsendtheoffender,thattheymightpunish
him.
3. Thatifanythingweretakenawayfromanyoftheirs,heshouldcauseittoberestored;andthey
shoulddotheliketohis.
4. Ifanydidunjustlywaragainsthim,theywouldaidhim;ifanydidwaragainstthem,heshould
aidthem.
5. Heshouldsendtohisneighborsconfederatestocertifythemofthis,thattheymightnotwrong
them,butmightbelikewisecomprisedintheconditionsofpeace.
6. Thatwhentheirmencametothem,theyshouldleavetheirbowsandarrowsbehindthem.

AfterthesethingshereturnedtohisplacecalledSowams,some40milesfromthisplace,butSquanto
continuedwiththemandwastheirinterpreterandwasaspecialinstrumentsentofGodfortheirgood
beyondtheirexpectation.Hedirectedthemhowtosettheircorn,wheretotakefish,andtoprocureother
commodities,andwasalsotheirpilottobringthemtounknownplacesfortheirprofit,andneverleftthem
tillhedied.

FromChapter12:FirstThanksgiving(Fall,1621)

Theybegannowtogatherinthesmallharvesttheyhad,andtofituptheirhousesanddwellingsagainst
winter,beingallwellrecoveredinhealthandstrengthandhadallthingsingoodplenty.Forassomewere
thusemployedinaffairsabroad,otherswereexercisedinfishing,aboutcodandbassandotherfish,of
whichtheytookgoodstore,ofwhicheveryfamilyhadtheirportion.Allthesummertherewasnowant;
andnowbegantocomeinstoreoffowl,aswinterapproached,ofwhichthisplacedidaboundwhenthey
camefirst(butafterwarddecreasedbydegrees).Andbesideswaterfowltherewasgreatstoreofwild
turkeys,ofwhichtheytookmany,besidesvenison,etc.Besidestheyhadaboutapeckofmealaweekto
aperson,ornowsinceharvest,Indiancorntothatproportion.Whichmademanyafterwardwriteso
largelyoftheirplentyheretotheirfriendsinEngland,whichwerenotfeignedbuttruereports.