The thing that sticks out in my mind is the intense human suffering that not only the pilgrims (actually referred to as Separatists) and the local native American tribes had been through prior to the "First Thanksgiving", but for others who had been there centuries before.
For, many had died......
Even though the pilgrims had landed at Cape Cod in the early winter of 1620, the English as well as Spanish and French had ventured (some settling) in this region known at the time as the "New World". In fact, there is evidence the Norse Vikings had landed on the North American continent in the Canadian region (Newfoundland) in 1013 A.D. They referred to this area as "Vinelandia", mainly due to the rich grape harvests thus producing wine.
The Vikings considered the Native American tribes of that area as hostile and named them "skraelings", meaning a wretched people. Although this area in Canada would certainly seem like a paradise in comparison to Greenland or Iceland, the Vikings never were able to establish themselves in the region and by 1408, there was a document containing information on a wedding that had taken place...and that is the last you heard of Vikings being on North American soil.
Other stories include Chinese explorers coming to the New World, Irish monks perhaps as early as the 6th century A.D., and the French and Spanish traders coming to capture Native Americans who they later sold to others (like in European countries) as slaves. All of these various ventures came with a price...with many meeting their deaths in "following after their dreams" or receiving ill treatment from others.
Yet, it was the English people who seem to make a permanent residence in the New World, and in particular the area within the U.S. we refer to as the eastern coastal line. There had been a number of attempts for the English to settle including the mysterious disappearance of the Roanoke Island settlement in North Carolina...that vanished in 1590, and, of course there was Jamestown that settled in the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia.
Spain and Portugal seemed to dominate the South American continent during this era, venturing up into Central America and even into the southern part of the U.S. including parts of Florida and the Southwest. France too was beginning to explore the vast southern regions of the U.S., yet the English seemed to be the ones that intended to make a home here...in the New World.
Jamestown...at first it was called "Jame's Fort", was a colony that arrived in the Virginia area in 1607. It was actually founded through investors in England called the Virginia Company of London.
Around 1600 2 Englishmen who went by the same name, Richard Hakluyt (an uncle and nephew), began promoting fellow Englishmen to colonize the North American continent through the publishing of a pamphlet, using phrases like " for the glory, for profit, and for adventure". These 2 Englishmen who were sons of nobility went on to describe how merchants can bring back to England exotic products, the clergy would have vast opportunity to convert savages to Christianity, and the poor have a way to rise up from their poverty stricken lives.
The plan proposed by the Virginia Company of London was to finance settlers to come to the New world in the hopes of finding an inland river that would lead to the Pacific Ocean...and lead to the riches that were already known...in Asia. In the meantime, as the settlers found their new home, bring a return on the investments of the Virginia Company through their discoveries of minerals, good quality lumber, plants (particularly those for medicinal value), glass, and tar.
So, in 1607 there were 105 colonists that landed in Chesapeake Bay and established "Jamestown", and by 1609 over 500 new settlers had arrived. Yet in establishing this young community, they were unaware of the challenges that awaited them.
In 1609-1610 there was a severe drought that occurred in the area of Jamestown. The new English settlers, from what appeared to be ignorance or arrogance, did not till the soil or provide any irrigation for crops to withstand the severity of the drought. They refused to seek or receive help from the Native Americans in the area because they rendered them savages and enemies to the English.
As a result, the new English settlers began to eat the livestock they had raised, including their cattle, hogs, poultry...and even their horses. Then, starvation began and there were reports of cannibalism taking place.
By the spring of 1610 in Jamestown, only 60 settlers were alive...9 out of 10 of the original 500 settlers...had died. What was originally a life that was paved for freedom...and dreams, had turned into nothing more than a wretched nightmare.
Meanwhile, the Virginia Company of London had one thought in mind: How were they to recover their financial losses? So, they sent more colonists and began to implement tobacco of various varieties...and see if that would produce a crop that would create a financial recovery.
As it turned out...the idea was a success and by 1620 over 55000 pounds of tobacco were being sent to England. This also was the introduction of slavery within the United States as slave trading ships from Africa began to sell slaves to the English settlers as a means of reaping the harvest of the tobacco fields, flourishing in the Virginia soil.
Although English nobleman had great influence in the settlement of the New World, the actual workers who came to areas like Jamestown...were of the working class. In other words, most of the "New World" settlers in this region were now poor, many under 25 years of age.
England was partaking in a population explosion, going from 3 million people in the year 1500 to over 5 million people by the early 1600's. The result of this was many poor needing to find a new way of life.
The New World...offered hope!
So, what enticed the poor?.... First, between 1/2 and 2/3 of all the settlers coming to the New World from England...were indentured servants. This meant a person would exchange their debts for...4 to 7 years of labor...in places like the tobacco fields.
In return, these indentured servants were fed, sheltered, and clothed...and after they had served their time, they received what was called their "Freedom Dues".
The "Freedom Dues" included: 1 bushel of corn, 1 new suit of clothes, and 100 acres of land.
And then, a new ship arrives up north...in the Cape Cod region of Massachusetts, and this ship is called...."The Mayflower". They would in time even rely on the Native American tribes...for their very survival. Things were about to change.........
For, many had died......
Even though the pilgrims had landed at Cape Cod in the early winter of 1620, the English as well as Spanish and French had ventured (some settling) in this region known at the time as the "New World". In fact, there is evidence the Norse Vikings had landed on the North American continent in the Canadian region (Newfoundland) in 1013 A.D. They referred to this area as "Vinelandia", mainly due to the rich grape harvests thus producing wine.
The Vikings considered the Native American tribes of that area as hostile and named them "skraelings", meaning a wretched people. Although this area in Canada would certainly seem like a paradise in comparison to Greenland or Iceland, the Vikings never were able to establish themselves in the region and by 1408, there was a document containing information on a wedding that had taken place...and that is the last you heard of Vikings being on North American soil.
Other stories include Chinese explorers coming to the New World, Irish monks perhaps as early as the 6th century A.D., and the French and Spanish traders coming to capture Native Americans who they later sold to others (like in European countries) as slaves. All of these various ventures came with a price...with many meeting their deaths in "following after their dreams" or receiving ill treatment from others.
Yet, it was the English people who seem to make a permanent residence in the New World, and in particular the area within the U.S. we refer to as the eastern coastal line. There had been a number of attempts for the English to settle including the mysterious disappearance of the Roanoke Island settlement in North Carolina...that vanished in 1590, and, of course there was Jamestown that settled in the Chesapeake Bay area of Virginia.
Spain and Portugal seemed to dominate the South American continent during this era, venturing up into Central America and even into the southern part of the U.S. including parts of Florida and the Southwest. France too was beginning to explore the vast southern regions of the U.S., yet the English seemed to be the ones that intended to make a home here...in the New World.
Jamestown...at first it was called "Jame's Fort", was a colony that arrived in the Virginia area in 1607. It was actually founded through investors in England called the Virginia Company of London.
Around 1600 2 Englishmen who went by the same name, Richard Hakluyt (an uncle and nephew), began promoting fellow Englishmen to colonize the North American continent through the publishing of a pamphlet, using phrases like " for the glory, for profit, and for adventure". These 2 Englishmen who were sons of nobility went on to describe how merchants can bring back to England exotic products, the clergy would have vast opportunity to convert savages to Christianity, and the poor have a way to rise up from their poverty stricken lives.
The plan proposed by the Virginia Company of London was to finance settlers to come to the New world in the hopes of finding an inland river that would lead to the Pacific Ocean...and lead to the riches that were already known...in Asia. In the meantime, as the settlers found their new home, bring a return on the investments of the Virginia Company through their discoveries of minerals, good quality lumber, plants (particularly those for medicinal value), glass, and tar.
So, in 1607 there were 105 colonists that landed in Chesapeake Bay and established "Jamestown", and by 1609 over 500 new settlers had arrived. Yet in establishing this young community, they were unaware of the challenges that awaited them.
In 1609-1610 there was a severe drought that occurred in the area of Jamestown. The new English settlers, from what appeared to be ignorance or arrogance, did not till the soil or provide any irrigation for crops to withstand the severity of the drought. They refused to seek or receive help from the Native Americans in the area because they rendered them savages and enemies to the English.
As a result, the new English settlers began to eat the livestock they had raised, including their cattle, hogs, poultry...and even their horses. Then, starvation began and there were reports of cannibalism taking place.
By the spring of 1610 in Jamestown, only 60 settlers were alive...9 out of 10 of the original 500 settlers...had died. What was originally a life that was paved for freedom...and dreams, had turned into nothing more than a wretched nightmare.
Meanwhile, the Virginia Company of London had one thought in mind: How were they to recover their financial losses? So, they sent more colonists and began to implement tobacco of various varieties...and see if that would produce a crop that would create a financial recovery.
As it turned out...the idea was a success and by 1620 over 55000 pounds of tobacco were being sent to England. This also was the introduction of slavery within the United States as slave trading ships from Africa began to sell slaves to the English settlers as a means of reaping the harvest of the tobacco fields, flourishing in the Virginia soil.
Although English nobleman had great influence in the settlement of the New World, the actual workers who came to areas like Jamestown...were of the working class. In other words, most of the "New World" settlers in this region were now poor, many under 25 years of age.
England was partaking in a population explosion, going from 3 million people in the year 1500 to over 5 million people by the early 1600's. The result of this was many poor needing to find a new way of life.
The New World...offered hope!
So, what enticed the poor?.... First, between 1/2 and 2/3 of all the settlers coming to the New World from England...were indentured servants. This meant a person would exchange their debts for...4 to 7 years of labor...in places like the tobacco fields.
In return, these indentured servants were fed, sheltered, and clothed...and after they had served their time, they received what was called their "Freedom Dues".
And then, a new ship arrives up north...in the Cape Cod region of Massachusetts, and this ship is called...."The Mayflower". They would in time even rely on the Native American tribes...for their very survival. Things were about to change.........
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