The
Puritans deserve the right to be appreciated having overcome
many challenges on their long journey to civilization. In the story
"Of Plymouth Plantation", by William Bradford, it talks about the
voyage that the Pilgrims made to come to Americas. The Puritans
faced various challenges such as, winter’s blistery storms and
their own trust in God.
The season of winter was a struggle that the Puritans faced, “And for the
season it was winter, and they that know the winters of that country know them
to be sharp and violent, and subject to cruel and fierce storms, dangerous to
travel to known places, much more to search an unknown coast” (pg. 123). The
Puritans landed in Cape Cod and could not further continue their voyage due to
the winter storms. Unfortunately, half of the company perished throughout that
winter of 1620, leaving only six or seven in good condition. Those few people
took care of the ill, washed the clothing, made the fires, etc. Not only was it
difficult for the Puritans to survive the winter, another hardship was keeping
faith in God.
At the beginning of the story God displays great
power, “But it pleased God before they came half seas over, to smite this young
man with grievous disease, of which he died in a desperate manner, and so was
himself the first that was thrown overboard” (pg 120). The seaman is an example
of someone going against God's will and authority, having done very
ungrateful things. He cursed at God, thought about only himself, and
did not tend to the sick. This led to his own self-destruction, in belief that
you must do as God has asked or else there will be further consequences.
This story took place from 1620-1647 and is
recognized and is known as one of the most accurate references in American history. Plymouth
Plantation dealt with the pilgrims looking for religious freedom and
persecution of those who would accept their church. Bradford profoundly
displayed the arrival and settlement of the Puritans and the accompanying
years of hardships. Throughout their journey you can see the struggles that
they faced with God and the land.
I only had one peer revision
and after reading that I changed up the last paragraph. They wrote saying that
my third paragraph went off topic. After reading it again I concluded that it
didn’t go off topic, but I believe they were misguided because the two
paragraphs didn’t exactly involve each other. One good thing they said is that
I didn’t restate the thesis clearly in the conclusion. So I took that advice
and tried to tie the thesis in a little better. Overall the person who revised
me said that they liked it and it was well written. I took their advice and
took it into mind rereading and changing what I could.
