Tuesday, 18 April: The Pilgrims and the Hebrew model of national migration; prototype of white exclusiveness and purity? William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation (introduction, esp. p. xxii; chapters I-IV).

·        Text-objective discussion leader: Kristin Long

General background from http://www.pilgrimhall.org/bradjour.htm

WHAT : The journal is the history of the first 30 years of Plymouth Colony, handwritten by William Bradford. It is known as "Of Plymouth Plantation" from the heading on the first page. The Bradford journal is the single most complete authority for the story of the Pilgrims and the early years of the Colony they founded.

WHO : William Bradford, author of the journal, was not only an eyewitness to the early years of Plymouth Colony, he was a leader of the Pilgrim community. The survival of the Colony was in large part due to his patience, wisdom, and courage. Bradford was born in Austerfield, England, in 1590. A member of the Scrooby Separatist congregation, he spent 12 years in Holland with the community and was a Mayflower passenger. After the death of Plymouth Colony’s first governor, John Carver, in 1621, William Bradford was elected governor. He held that position, except for five 1-year terms, for the remaining 36 years of his life.

WHEN : Written between 1630 and 1647, the journal describes the story of the Pilgrims from 1608, when they settled in Holland, through the 1620 Mayflower voyage, until the year 1647. The book ends with a list, written in 1650, of Mayflower passengers.

WHY THE JOURNAL IS IMPORTANT : The Bradford journal is the single most important source of information about the Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony. Bradford’s history is a blend of fact and interpretation.  The Bradford journal records not only the events of the first 30 years but also the reactions of the colonists. The Bradford journal is regarded by historians as the preeminent work of 17th century America. It is Bradford’s simple yet vivid story, as told in his journal, that has made the Pilgrims the much-loved "spiritual ancestors of all Americans" (Samuel Eliot Morison).

Highlighted Passages:

Objective 2. To chart variations and stages of the immigrant narrative.

Stage 1: Leave the Old World (“traditional societies” in Europe, Asia, or Latin America).

Stage 2: Journey to the New World (here, the USA & modern culture)

“Being thus constrained to leave their native soil and country, their lands and livings, and all their friends and familiar acquaintance, it was much; and thought marvelous by many. But to go to a country they knew not but by hearsay, where they must learn a new language and get their livings they knew not how, it being a dear place and subject to the miseries of war, it was by many thought an adventure almost desperate; a case intolerable and a misery worse than death.” (Page 11)

This passage shows how these people have to leave all of their familiarities, everything they know, and go to some strange new land.  The second part of the passage talks about what lies ahead.

Question:  What would you think about if you had to give up everything to move to a new land? Would you be optimistic or pessimistic?

Stage 2: Journey to the New World (here, the USA & modern culture)

“For these and some other reasons they removed to Leyden, a fair and beautiful city and of a sweet situation, but made more famous by the university wherewith it is adorned, in which of late had been so many learned men.” (Page 17)

Objective 5. To observe and analyze the effects of immigration and assimilation on cultural units or identities:

religion:

In traditional societies of the Old World, religion and political or cultural identity are closely related. Modern cultures of the New World tend toward a secular state and private religion.

Religion is the identity factor that resists assimilation the longest—but not necessarily forever. Catholic, Islamic, or Hindu immigrants may generally conform to mainstream dominant culture but resist conversion to the Protestant or Evangelical Christianity of the dominant culture.

“The one side laboured to have the right worship of God, and discipline of Christ, established in the church, according to the simplicity of the Gospel; without the mixture of men's inventions. And to have and to be ruled by the laws of Gods word; dispensed in those offices, and by those officers of pastors, Teachers, and Elders, &c., according to the Scriptures. The other party, (though under many colours, and pretences) endeavored to have the Episcopal dignity (after the popish manner) with their large power, and jurisdiction, still retained; with all those courts, cannons, and ceremonies, together with all such livings, revenues, and subordinate officers, with other such means, as formerly upheld their antichristian greatness. And enabled them with lordly, and tyrannous power to persecute the poor servants of God.”

Questions

How strong would your ties to religion have to be to uproot and move your family like this?