Of Plymouth Plantation Short Summary

Of Plymouth Plantation is a story written by William Bradford. The article explores the lives of pilgrims from the time they lived in the Dutch republic back in 1608, the Mayflower voyage and their 1647 settlement in Massachusetts. The story ends with mayflower passenger’s list and what transpires afterward to them by 1651.

The story opens up with the leadership account of Bradford who seemingly has been Plymouth’s governor for 30 years. He is determined to change to a detailed personal reporting, which he regards that is not for the public. However, this kind of reporting turns out to be so much instrumental in providing an embodiment of some iconic moments of the early chronicles of colonialism. A significant number of notable moments captured by the personal reporting are for example the landing of Mayflower ship at Cape Cod and the first-time thanksgiving. Reading Bradford’s narrations get students stunned and not only flattered.

The story switches to the sad encounter before Plymouth whereby Bradford is giving the real account of how life was during the English oppression of the travelers, economic hardship, endorsement, and the move to Holand decision in 1608. In the Netherlands, life became a place of the intense suffering that they could not withstand anymore. The pilgrims were determined to sail through to America. The arrangement of the great sail was made, which was to include traveling in two transport ships. However, later, the journey takes place aboard one ship. The pilgrims feared the duplicity of the first ship’s captain and chose to sail with Christopher Jone’s boat, the Mayflower.

The story switches to the arrival of the Mayflower ship at cape cod, and it is now November 11^th of 1620. Their anxiety on arrival on foreign sea coast is great, but they have no idea how the inhabitants will welcome them. They are used to bad encounter with anything they come across for the first time throughout the voyages. Bradford stands half-astonished at the condition of the people he first sees on arrival. The pilgrims see a wilderness full of wild beasts and unfriendly-like people who to them seemed like savage barbarians ready to hurt them, but they were wrong.

Bradford goes ahead to refer to landing in Plymouth, Massachusetts as a great opportunity that saved not only their lives but also an excellent opportunity for a better living. The pilgrims chose this sport as their mainland due to its deep harbors which could accommodate shipping.