The Pilgrims: In Search of Freedom

Pilgrims: In Search of Freedom “On September 6, 1620, the ship Mayflower left England and sailed into the open Atlantic Ocean. The ship’s destination was the northern parts of Virginia, near the mouth of the Hudson River. Only two people on board had ever seen the land they were sailing to. “

Who were the Pilgrims and why did they leave England? The Pilgrims were a group of people who were brave and determined. They sought the freedom to worship God in their own way. They had two choices: 1) Conform to the King’s religion 2) Escape from England They finally escaped to Holland.

How did the Pilgrims leave Holland? The Pilgrims believed America was the promised land. They received the King’s permission to go. There were originally two ships, but due to leaking on the Speedwell, the Mayflower was forced to make the journey on it’s own.

A Long Ocean Journey . . . The Mayflower set sail on Sept. 6, 1620. That’s more than 396 years ago! There were 102 Pilgrims on board. It was treacherous crossing the Atlantic Ocean. Storms, Illness, Terror Horrible Living Conditions, Near ship-wreck

Arriving in America: Land! Land at Last! The Pilgrims arrived in the New World 66 days after they left England. They landed near Cape Cod not Virginia. They decided to govern themselves-Mayflower Compact: 1) Work together for common good 2) Pass just laws 3) Elect and obey governing officials Life in the New World was beginning!

Where did the Pilgrims settle? On December 16, 1620, the Pilgrims chose their home-Plymouth Rock. Construction was soon underway! Some Pilgrims caught scurvy and died. It was a harsh winter for the Pilgrims. Only half of them survived.

A Hopeful Spring! Spring brought hope and courage for the survivors. The Pilgrims started to plant peas, beans and other crops. They started building houses. They made their own furniture. Life in the colony was not easy, but it was hopeful.

This is a sketch of Plymouth Colony from 1627

Friends of the Pilgrims: The Native Americans The Pilgrims meet Samoset, Squanto and Massasoit. Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to: 1) Plant corn, beans and pumpkins 2) Make traps 3) Catch fish and other animals Hello

The Pilgrims and Native Americans had a feast together. This would be known as the first Thanksgiving.

The Pilgrims story is one of survival, courage and hope. They can be considered the Pioneers of this country. Remember everything you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Student Activities 1. Each student will write one diary entry pretending that they were a passenger on the Mayflower. They can discuss what the conditions were like and how they felt arriving in a new place. We will then put all of the entries together into a Pilgrim Book.

2. Each student will construct a map plotting out the path that the Mayflower took using Ellison cuts and construction paper.

3. Each student will have to design or write about what the inside of the ship (Mayflower) that the Pilgrims traveled in looked like. Afterwards, we will examine what the actual ship looked like.

4. The students will complete a crossword puzzle about the Pilgrims and what is was like for them to arrive in America.

5. The students will get in groups of five and compare and contrast the life of the Pilgrim children with the life children have today. Each group will write their list on the board.

This is a lesson on the Pilgrims and their quest once they came to America. This lesson is for a 5th grade class.

OBJECTIVES Students will: - Identify who the Pilgrims were, where they came from and why they came to America. -State how they traveled and what conditions they faced. -Define what type of government they formed. -Describe how the Native Americans helped them.

Materials: Ellison cuts Construction paper Pilgrim Crossword Puzzle Markers and crayons

Web Sites : http://pilgrims.net/plymouth/history/mayflower.html http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/1465/ thankshist.html http://www.plimoth.org/Library/pilgrim.htm http://pilgrims.net/plymouth/thanksgiving.htm http://dickshovel.com/wampa.html