1. Of Plymouth Plantation
Written by
William Bradford
( )

2. Bradford’s Timeline
1609: Fled to the Netherlands with the Scrooby Separatists.
1620: Sailed on the Mayflower to New England
: Served as governor on the Mayflower to New England
: wrote Of Plymouth Plantation

3. Pertinent Facts about Bradford
Admired as a Christian and a writer.
Recounts the history of the Pilgrims
~The tribulations before coming to the New World
Son of an English (British) farmer
Orphaned at 16
Became a member of Scrooby Separatists
1609-Maker of linen & cotton (non prosperous)
Great supporter of the migration to the New World.

4. Pertinent Facts about Bradford Continued…
He & his wife, Dorothy, arrived in 1620 on the Mayflower (they left their young son behind).
She drowned before they settled at Cape Cod.
Some people think that she committed suicide.
He remarried & had three children.
Good administrator
Negotiated fairly, but firmly with the Indians
~Example: When an Indian tribe tried to scare them by sending by sending them a bunch of arrows wrapped in a snakeskin, Bradford ordered that the snakeskin be sent back with bullets in it.

5. Pertinent Facts about Bradford Continued…
Not a professional writer
No one really knows why he felt led to write Of Plymouth Plantation in 1630.
Possible reasons why:
He may have wanted to make sure that the Pilgrims weren’t overlooked by history.
Once the colony was established he may have had more time on his hands for leisurely writing.

6. In Class Reading from Chapter 9
Most famous chapter of this history
Contains a celebrated contrast between two young men.
~Ungodly sailor & Godly saint
~One who dies an untimely death & others who experience a miraculous rescue.
Paragraph 2
~Uses 3rd Person
-Method of storytelling in which a narrator relates all action in 3rd person pronouns such as “he” or “she.”

7. Chapter 9 Continued…
He was present with them, yet speaks of them (Pilgrims) in 3rd person
Why does he do this?
~Smith did this also.
Maybe out of modesty or to seem more trustworthy to his readers
Biblical Allusions
~God’s providence
Classical Allusions
~Roman Stoic philosopher, Seneca
Other imaginative comparisons:
~Plight of the Pilgrims/Paul’s shipwrecked company.

8. Chapter 9 Continued… Pilgrim’s Plight ~Hostile Indians
~Hostile Weather
~Hostile Environment
~Separated from home by ocean
~No ship to retreat to
~Netherland Brethren couldn’t help them.
~They could only look to God for help.
Final Paragraph
~Filled with scriptural quotations
~Moving testimony to Bradford’s & the Pilgrims’ faith
-The Bible has an uncanny way of soothing the distressed soul.

9. In Class Reading from Chapter 11
Foundation of government for Plymouth
Some Mayflower passengers didn’t plan on honoring their previous commitments
~Remember that ½ of them were not Pilgrims, but strangers (Bradford’s term)
The rest of the chapter:
~Disastrous first winter (over ½ died)
~Surprising discovery of English speaking Indians in New England.
~Squanto – “sent by God”
-Corn planting
Peace until Pequot War in New England

10. In Class Reading from Chapter 12
Records what has been called the ‘first Thanksgiving’
Edward Winslow’s letter of December 11 , 1621 is more complete view
Bradford tells us what New England life was like.
Later writers both affirm and contradict Bradford’s thoughts on New England.