389 years ago....
106 passengers spent 65 days in the dark...
Storms blew their tiny ship.
Many were sick. The smell was terrible.
Some slept in hammocks, others on hard beds.
On November 11, 1620 land was sighted.
The next twelve months brought cold, disease and death. 47 Pilgrims and half of the Mayflower's crew died that year.
In October of 1621 the Pilgrims and Native People gathered together and feasted for three days. They had survived so much and gave thanks.
Today our family visited the Mayflower II, an exact replica of the original Mayflower. It complemented our studies on the Pilgrims and their journey. While the Pilgrims were stuffy and humorless, they were also brave beyond words. Walking aboard their ship on a cold and drizzling day gave us a new appreciation for all that we have.
Though conditions are dark for many right now, we continue to enjoy our life in a country where anything is possible and courage is so often rewarded.
Happy Thanksgiving!
4 comments:
What a great history lesson! Yea homeschooling!! I got to visit when I was young but not as part of my lessons! So neat you can be learing as we have Thanksgiving to make it real!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Hugs, Lisa
You are wonderful. It is indeed so much to be thankful for. I love you.
Mommy
Have a great holiday!
You know why the colonists starved the first few years in America? Because they were laboring under an explicitly socialist system where they all had to put the fruit of their labor in a common pot. Everyone correctly perceived that it was a stupid idea to work hard so that other colonists could live off of their labor.
...and, as a result of the socialism,47 of early colonists starved.
Socialism has killed millions in the 20th century, but it started killing people long ago.
The first bountiful harvests in the New World did not occur until three years later, when the governor of the colony abolished socialism and let people own private land and farm for their own benefit.
Details:
http://mises.org/story/336
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