Originally published in 1872, author John S. C. Abbott weaves the story of the original Plymouth Colony in 1620. The history of this little settlement is full of adventure, sadness, and miracles, and lays the foundation for what would become the United States of America. Drawing liberally from the firsthand accounts of William Bradford, William Brewster, Edward Winslow, John Robinson, Abbott puts the details into a wonderful chronological narrative, from the persecution of the Puritans in England to the death of their beloved Captin, Miles Standish. This is a must-read for any student of history, and anyone who wants to get the facts from those who made history.
“Fortunately, there can be no doubt in reference to the essential facts. All these events have occurred within the last three hundred years, a period fully covered by authentic historical documents. In giving occasional extracts from these documents, I have deemed it expedient to modernize the spelling, and occasionally to exchange an unintelligible, obsolete word for one now in use.” (John S. C. Abbott)
There’s no better history book than a story skillfully woven from the actual writings of those who lived it. This is one of those books!
This book, though written over 100 years ago, is still a pretty easy read for today’s kids. It can be read aloud to younger kids, or assigned reading to older kids. Parents, I think you will love it, too, so don’t hesitate to read along!

NOW, the free study guide is available for use in your homeschool!
I create my study guides for the way I homeschool: large family-group style, with all of my kids learning together as much as possible. With a book like this, I read the story aloud to all ages. We will follow the rabbit trails together. Younger kids may do less, while older kids will certainly do more.
Each chapter will look a bit different throughout the guide, depending on the topics. Since this is a historical narrative, I follow the flow of the timeline.
Homeschooling allows for so much flexibility in ages and grade levels, and I want you to have that flexibility with this guide! So it’s up to you to choose which activities to use in your home.
Download your free study guide here:
(If printing is not an option for you, purchase the printed version for $1 + shipping HERE)
Purchase the Book
Miles Standish, Puritan Captain by John S. C. Abbott is available at Knowledge Keepers Bookstore and on Amazon.
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