While reading
William Bradford’s journals of his journey and hardships on the Mayflower, I really
got a sense of just how difficult this colonial time was. Established by English
colonists, or otherwise know as “pilgrims” these people traveled here in order
to gain religious freedom and to separate from the Church of England. Bradford’s
journal covers from Holland 1608 to the Mayflower in 1620 and ends with the
names of Mayflower passengers 1650
(William Bradford; Plymouth Colony Governor). This journal is a incredibly
important because it not only documents events, but also how the colonists reacted
to them. Although Bradford never attempted to publish his work, you can tell he
intended for it to be later read to further the education of future
generations.
On the other hand,
John Smith and Jamestown is often compared to Bradford and the Plymouth Plantation.
While colonists from Plymouth mostly traveled for religious freedom, Jamestown
colonists traveled for better trade in hopes to get rich. Religious beliefs
between the two also differed. Jamestown was a colony that practiced the Church
of England’s beliefs, while Plymouth was a Puritan colony (Jamestown and Plymouth: Compare
and Contrast). In addition, disease struck both colonies hard and killed off many of their
men leaving the colonies both fragile. Although these colonies have their differences, they both play a huge role
in our present day way of life, and their experiences are still relevant as well as relatable.
Works Cited:
"Jamestown and Plymouth:
Compare and Contrast." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of
the Interior, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2017.
"William Bradford (Plymouth
Colony Governor)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 30
Jan. 2017.
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