Before getting into the "Mayflower Compact" and its profound effect on giving a foundation to the meaning of "by the people, for the people, of the people"...the makings of a democratic society, there are a few things I need to catch up on........
The Mayflower had made its voyage...landing in the Bay of Cape Cod on November 11, 1620...finally, after much delay. In fact, many a ship would not have travelled the "ocean blue" because of the fierce winds of November...but not the Mayflower. Although much delayed from it's original launch date in July of that year (not leaving England until September 6th), the people of the Mayflower had already been forced to make serious adjustments. The smaller ship, "The Speedwell", which was originally to come alongside the Mayflower to the New World, had sprung serious leaks only about 100 miles off the coast of England, and both ships had to return to England to regroup.
As a result, the Speedwell was not able to make the journey, and all of its supplies and only some of its passengers could now venture...to the New World.
And yet...there were more problems to face...more dangers ahead....for the old wine ship...the Mayflower.
There was the danger of...renegade pirates on the Sea, who could overtake the Mayflower and force her to surrender all of it's goods. Most likely because of the lateness of the year, pirates had "bedded down for the winter." The Mayflower escaped any pirate assaults.
But there is more....the danger of bad storms doing physical damage to the Mayflower. This was a particularly real danger because of the time of year the Mayflower was out on the sea. The cold winds of November...struck fear even in the hearts of seasoned sailors, and
this particular danger...the Mayflower did not escape....
About 1/2 way across the ocean...well on their way to the New World, a bad storm had cracked one of the massive wooden main beams used to support the main frame of the Mayflower. Fortunately, the passengers aboard had brought with them what was known at the time as a "great iron screw", to be used in the construction of new buildings when they arrived on the mainland. When the beam was found to be cracked on the ship, the passengers and crew were able to use the "great iron screw" to raise the beam and put it in its proper position so no further damage would occur. As a result, the Mayflower was able to continue on its journey.
One other real danger that faced the crew of the Mayflower was...being literally swept off the ship itself during a violent and bad storm. This is exactly what happened to a passenger...a John Howland...and he plunged into the ocean. He escaped his peril when he was able to grab on to one of the ropes that were on the side of the ship...and was pulled back aboard.
The other factor that gripped many of the passengers during this seafaring journey was...sea sickness. In fact, one of the "sailors" on the ship began to make fun of some of the passengers who had become ill, and it is documented he not only was rude toward them...but got downright mean toward them as well.
As it turned out, this mean "sailor" became ill himself (not from sea sickness), and died while on the journey...the only person to die on the voyage of the Mayflower. Many thought God had allowed this...because of his cruelty toward others.
Anything else happened during the Mayflower voyage?...Well,
A baby was born right during the journey. An Elizabeth Hopkins gave birth to a son whom she named "Oceanus". And, shortly after arriving on the Cape Cod harbor, a Susanna White gave birth to a son as well..a "Peregrine" White.
Yet, after 66 days on the sea, the Mayflower made its landing...off the icy cold harbor of Cape Cod...in Massachusetts...on November 11th, 1620. Within a short time the men had taken small boats to get to the mainland...the settlement of Plymouth, and began immediate plans on building...starting with the "great common house"...trying to get everyone off the ship and have a shelter to stay in together...on the mainland.
{There are numerous resources available to the journey of the Mayflower...the tight space within the vessel, the lack of privacy, sickness...even have to use the restroom...along with food available, water, and the help beer in giving them drink. I can only imagine what it must have smelled like in the hull of the Mayflower. Tremendous sacrifice...for the freedoms we have...today!}
The pilgrims began to make their plans on building this settlement known as Plymouth, which had actually been settled before, by Native Americans. These were the Wampanoag Tribe, yet they had left this settlement because of sickness among them...in fact many in the tribe had died.
Yet, the Wampanoags....would turn out to be "the angels" the pilgrims were ever in need of...as they "carve themselves" a life...in the New World."
The Mayflower had made its voyage...landing in the Bay of Cape Cod on November 11, 1620...finally, after much delay. In fact, many a ship would not have travelled the "ocean blue" because of the fierce winds of November...but not the Mayflower. Although much delayed from it's original launch date in July of that year (not leaving England until September 6th), the people of the Mayflower had already been forced to make serious adjustments. The smaller ship, "The Speedwell", which was originally to come alongside the Mayflower to the New World, had sprung serious leaks only about 100 miles off the coast of England, and both ships had to return to England to regroup.
As a result, the Speedwell was not able to make the journey, and all of its supplies and only some of its passengers could now venture...to the New World.
And yet...there were more problems to face...more dangers ahead....for the old wine ship...the Mayflower.
There was the danger of...renegade pirates on the Sea, who could overtake the Mayflower and force her to surrender all of it's goods. Most likely because of the lateness of the year, pirates had "bedded down for the winter." The Mayflower escaped any pirate assaults.
But there is more....the danger of bad storms doing physical damage to the Mayflower. This was a particularly real danger because of the time of year the Mayflower was out on the sea. The cold winds of November...struck fear even in the hearts of seasoned sailors, and
this particular danger...the Mayflower did not escape....
About 1/2 way across the ocean...well on their way to the New World, a bad storm had cracked one of the massive wooden main beams used to support the main frame of the Mayflower. Fortunately, the passengers aboard had brought with them what was known at the time as a "great iron screw", to be used in the construction of new buildings when they arrived on the mainland. When the beam was found to be cracked on the ship, the passengers and crew were able to use the "great iron screw" to raise the beam and put it in its proper position so no further damage would occur. As a result, the Mayflower was able to continue on its journey.
One other real danger that faced the crew of the Mayflower was...being literally swept off the ship itself during a violent and bad storm. This is exactly what happened to a passenger...a John Howland...and he plunged into the ocean. He escaped his peril when he was able to grab on to one of the ropes that were on the side of the ship...and was pulled back aboard.
The other factor that gripped many of the passengers during this seafaring journey was...sea sickness. In fact, one of the "sailors" on the ship began to make fun of some of the passengers who had become ill, and it is documented he not only was rude toward them...but got downright mean toward them as well.
As it turned out, this mean "sailor" became ill himself (not from sea sickness), and died while on the journey...the only person to die on the voyage of the Mayflower. Many thought God had allowed this...because of his cruelty toward others.
Anything else happened during the Mayflower voyage?...Well,
A baby was born right during the journey. An Elizabeth Hopkins gave birth to a son whom she named "Oceanus". And, shortly after arriving on the Cape Cod harbor, a Susanna White gave birth to a son as well..a "Peregrine" White.
Yet, after 66 days on the sea, the Mayflower made its landing...off the icy cold harbor of Cape Cod...in Massachusetts...on November 11th, 1620. Within a short time the men had taken small boats to get to the mainland...the settlement of Plymouth, and began immediate plans on building...starting with the "great common house"...trying to get everyone off the ship and have a shelter to stay in together...on the mainland.
{There are numerous resources available to the journey of the Mayflower...the tight space within the vessel, the lack of privacy, sickness...even have to use the restroom...along with food available, water, and the help beer in giving them drink. I can only imagine what it must have smelled like in the hull of the Mayflower. Tremendous sacrifice...for the freedoms we have...today!}
The pilgrims began to make their plans on building this settlement known as Plymouth, which had actually been settled before, by Native Americans. These were the Wampanoag Tribe, yet they had left this settlement because of sickness among them...in fact many in the tribe had died.
Yet, the Wampanoags....would turn out to be "the angels" the pilgrims were ever in need of...as they "carve themselves" a life...in the New World."
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