Challenges and Faith of the Pilgrims

Fair winds and weather

Favorable sailing conditions

Ship damage

Ship bowed, cracked in the main beam, and leaking due to encountering storms

John Howland

Thrown overboard, saved by hanging onto a rope; God credited for saving his life due to religious beliefs

Settling in Cape Cod

Resolved to settle due to encountering dangerous sandbars and waves

Deaths in first few months

Half of the group; causes include cold, loneliness, scurvy, and diseases

Bradford's request for beer

Crew selfishly denies him; consequences follow as crew members treating others fall sick

Christianity lesson from Pilgrims

To be Christian is to act faithfully, not lie

Samoset

Pemaquid tribal chief from Maine

Squanto

Pawtuxet tribe member, speaks good English due to living in England; village destroyed by plague

Squanto's English proficiency

Gives him power to communicate effectively with both Indians and Pilgrims

6 rules for Indian-Pilgrim relations

Includes not hurting each other, punishing offenders, returning stolen items, being allies in wars, showing peaceful intentions, and avoiding violence

Bradford's title for Squanto

Special instrument sent from God

Thanksgiving event

Pilgrims wrote about food and harvests to friends in England

Bradford's wife's death omission

Possibly omitted from publication to focus on God's blessings and help rather than tragedies

God's will and providence

Positive and negative consequences for Pilgrims due to shared beliefs and feelings of unworthiness