Life in Plymouth Colony

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US I (Honors) Essay

The times of early settlement were filled with determination to survive, following the words of God, and to making history in everlasting memories. I will be basing my opinion on these primary sources: “The Starving Time” by Captain John Smith, the founder of Jamestown, History of Plymouth Plantation” by William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth Colony, “How they sought out a place of habitation” and “New governor, first marriage”. I believe that the settlers were bold, adventurous, determined, and faithful.

The first passage is “The Starving Time” by Captain John Smith, the founder of Jamestown. This passage explains the starving time in Jamestown. Captain Smith returned to England with the ships and Captain Davis arrived in a small boat with sixteen men and a company from Jamestown. While Captain West was returned to Jamestown among the savages who revolted, murdered, and spoiled all they encountered. The rest that remained had to live on the food for Smiths company. All things were consumed so thirty or forty men with Captain West and Captain Sickelmore were sent out to trade. Captain Sickelmore assuming confidence with Powhatan, with about thirty others were slain. Only one man escaped and that was, Jeffrey Shortbridge. Pocahontas, the king’s daughter, saved a boy named Henry Spillman who lived many years later, by her means, among the Patawomekes. Powhatan denied them trade, Captain West returned back to England. The savages then became very cruel and stole from John Smith. Six months after John Smith left there was sixty men remaining, and they began with five hundred men. The times became so tough that a man killed his wife and ate her (he was executed). This was known as the starving time .If they...

... middle of paper ...

...sage is an explanation of the starvation in Jamestown; the second passage is based off of when the first English arrived on Plymouth land. The third passage is about how the English settlers found land to live on and start their new lives. The final passage is about the new governor and the first marriage. In conclusion I believe I gave the right facts to back up my opinion and that I also followed the rubric assigned with the essay.

Work Cited

Bellesiles, Michael A. Freedom Library: The Divine Right to Occupy the Land. 1998. < http://faithandfreedom.us/documents/17thcentury/cottonoccupyland.htm>.

Unknown. http://www.arasmus.com/2008/11/27/john-winthrops-city-upon-a-hill-1630/>.

Unknown. .

Watkins, Thayer. The Starving Time in Virginia. < http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/starving.htm>.

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