Immigrating to America A Long Time Ago
The Pilgrims
On the 15th of December they weighed anchor to go to the place they had discovered, and came within two leagues of it, but were fain to bear up again, but the 16th day, the wind came fair, and they arrived safe in this harbor. And afterwards took a better view of the place, and resolved where to pitch their dwelling; and the 25th day began to erect the first house for common use to receive them and their goods
William Bradford
Governor
Plymouth Plantation
We Americans all know about the Pilgrims. Weren’t they those people in the funny hats who left England and then had a big feast with the Indians? With lots of turkey and pumpkin pie? Those Pilgrims? Those Indians? That celebration? That story?
In this assignment you are going to be serious historians, finding about the real Pilgrims behind the myth. The Pilgrims were immigrants with similar reasons for coming to America that people still have today. You have already looked closely at contemporary immigration by way of your oral history project. You created thoughtful questions for your subject about his or her immigration experiences and crafted the resulting interview into a picture book. Now you are going to attempt to do something similar with a real person from over 250 years ago! Since the Pilgrims aren’t here to interview, you will have to get your information some other way. Learning ways to do that will be a major part of your work in this assignment. As well, you will become a Pilgrim expert, ready to travel back in time to visit Plimoth Plantation itself!