Analysis Of Mayflower By Nathaniel Shilbrick

A New Understanding of the “Mayflower”
Hearing the term “Mayflower”, I often thought of Thanksgiving and Pilgrims, the traditional images that we were taught throughout our early years of education. It was not until reading Nathaniel Philbrick’s “Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War” that I was really taken in by the depths of the challenges as well as the complications of war that the Mayflower’s occupants faced. Pilbrick uses adequate descriptions in this book that makes it possible for the reader to envision what he is describing and take in the events creating better understanding of this journey. It not only gives us knowledge of the war, it takes us to the war and shows us first hand how it did take “courage” during this time

It seems that Philbrick brings much attention to Massasoit but with a description such as this makes it hard to determine whether he is biased and is speaking well of Massasoit or trying to identify a sort of negativity, although he does paint a picture of Massasoit as being a “strong leader” to the reader of this book. This quote from the Mayflower lets the reader know that at all cost, Massasoit attempts to ensure his “personal prosperity” at any cost, even if that cost be the “dismantling of their homeland” by selling pieces of land to the English that once belonged to the tribes of the Native

This gave me a better understanding of why these wars broke out and what the new settlers as well as the Native Americans went through during this time of establishment and during this “Story of Courage, Community and War”. I understand the courage that it must have taken for both the new settlers coming from New England, unaware of what lay before them and unsure of their future once settling in a new land. There was also excitement with all that was promised with expanding their communities and gaining new and to settle. This was an attempt to maintain peace with the Native Americans who graciously sold them land to settle and develop. This unfortunately did not result in the outcome that may have been expected and the end result was an outbreak of war, these being described as “horrific, bloody and brutal”. This would have been devastating to both peoples. The Native Americans were courageous in sharing their land and attempting to maintain the peace. This story still leaves me wondering if Philbrick was biased when it comes to Massasoit and the Native American tribes. This was a good read, and I now have an outlook on the “Mayflower” as something of meaning and historical value, a story of “Courage, Community and War”; not just pilgrim salt and pepper shakers, turkey, school plays and Thanksgiving