• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
  • Nav Social Menu

Nicki Truesdell

Homeschooling and Christian Parenting

  • Homepage
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Homeschool 101
  • Anyone Can Homeschool by Nicki Truesdell
  • Mystery of History, Volume 1
  • Subscribe by Text or Email
  • Contact Nicki
  • Homeschooling in Texas
  • Events
  • Book Lists
american history homeschool pilgrims thanskgiving
Home | history | Reclaiming History: The Pilgrims Leave England

Reclaiming History: The Pilgrims Leave England

history, homeschool, Thanksgiving

(This is Part 2 in a series on Reclaiming History. You may read Part 1 here.) This post contains affiliate links. 

In the century after the Protestant Reformation, small bands of English citizens began to question whether the Reformation had gone far enough. Many believed that the Church of England, conveniently founded by Henry VIII during the Reformation period, was rife with corruption and unbiblical practices. These Englishmen, nicknamed “Puritans”, desired a return to the simple, straightforward practices of the New Testament church. They hoped to work within the Church of England to bring about this change.

Reclaiming history: The Pilgrims leave England. What is taught, what is not, and how to find the truth.

There was a smaller, more radical subset of Puritans who believed the only real pathway to free worship was through separation from the Church (“Separatists”). The Church authorities were more suspect of this group for their open rebellion.

When King James I took the throne, the Separatists became outlaws. They were arrested and imprisoned, and had their possessions confiscated. They began to meet for worship in secret. When the persecution became too great, they began leaving in groups for Holland.

Life in their new home of Leyden, Holland was difficult. They were foreigners. They had not established businesses or trade. Their children were growing more worldly, thanks to the influences of the culture.

And so they began to turn their thoughts to the New World. There was much talk of Virginia at this time. It seemed like the perfect place to make a new start. As devout Christians, seeking God’s will in every step they took, the Separatists prayed for guidance. William Bradford, the future governor of Plymouth, writes:

“It was answered that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be enterprised and overcome with answerable courages. It was granted that the dangers were great, but not desperate, and the difficulties were many, but not invincible [they had heard some horror stories from the Jamestown colony]…and all of them, through the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be borne or overcome… (But) their condition was not ordinary. Their ends were good and honorable, their calling lawful and urgent, and therefore they might expect the blessing of God in their proceeding; yea, though they should lose their lives in this action, yet they might have comfort in the same, and their endeavors would be honorable.“

(From Willliam Bradford’s book Of Plymouth Plantation.)

So, it was determined that they would sail for the New World. They negotiated a charter to help with expenses through a London Adventurer named Thomas Weston. A ship, The Speedwell, was purchased to take them to Southampton, where they would join the Mayflower for the voyage across the Atlantic. (See the original copy of the Mayflower Passenger list here.)

Reclaiming history: The Pilgrims Leave England. This is the original copy of the Mayflower Passenger List.

While these trusting Puritans had been preparing for their short trip from Holland to England, Thomas Weston had played fast and loose with their contract. He quietly convinced one of the Puritans to agree to revised (and unfair) terms. Presenting these terms to them just before departing on the Mayflower, Weston was surprisingly rejected by the Puritans! In order to compromise with the Adventurers, the Puritans extended their original 7-year indenture to an undetermined amount of time to pay back the investment.

Before they departed, a letter from Pastor John Robinson (who had stayed behind with the main congregation in Holland) was read to the departing Puritans. His admonition would echo into the future of a nation they could not even fathom:

“…whereas you are to become a body politic, using amongst yourselves civil government, and are not furnished with any persons of special eminency above the rest” [i.e. no Gentlemen on the passenger list], they would have to choose their leaders from among equals. “Let your wisdom and godliness appear not only in choosing such persons as do entirely love and will promote the common good, but also in yielding unto them all due honor and obedience in their lawful administrations…”  (Read the entire letter here)

They were being instructed to form a civil government, of the people, by the people, and for the people!

In August 1620, they finally set sail for the New World. These Puritans had become Pilgrims.

As I stated in Part 1, everything you need to know about the Puritans (Pilgrims) and their world-changing actions is written down by the very people who lived it. The Primary Sources are available for free on the web. An incredible website, Caleb Johnson’s MayflowerHistory.com has compiled links to each one. There are letters, sermons, books, and official records that detail the entire story of this amazing little band of Pilgrims. I have cited specific quotes where necessary.

The overall story is written by William Bradford in his book Of Plymouth Plantation. My other source: The Light and the Glory by Peter Marshall and David Manuel. This is a wonderful overview of the beginnings of our nation, following the hand of God through each incident, from Columbus to the eve of the American Revolution. There is also a children’s version, an activity book, and an audio version. I first read this in 1987 and it remains my Number One recommendation for an American History book. There are 2 sequels. I highly recommend these books for a great education in American history.

For a more complete list of my favorite books about Thanksgiving and the history of the Pilgrims (for all ages!) click here.

If you’re intrigued by primary sources, then you must visit my Knowledge Keepers Bookstore! I am doing my best to publish firsthand accounts of American history from books that have gone out of print. Get your copy of Miles Standish, Puritan Captain PLUS my free study guide here!

Miles Standish Puritan Captain Book and Study Guide

Share this:

  • Share
  • Print
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Related

November 17, 2015 · 3 Comments

Get my book!

Anyone Can Homeschool by Nicki Truesdell

Shop my history series

Knowledge Keepers Bookstore
Previous Post: « Reclaiming History: The Pilgrims
Next Post: 17th Century World History Homeschool Curriculum »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments

  1. *Mirage* says

    January 12, 2016 at 12:34 am

    Do you notice reliable historical sources vanishing from the internet, or online interpretations of historical documents being altered to fit the modern narrative?

    Reply
  2. Andrea says

    April 26, 2016 at 10:01 pm

    Love this! I will definitely use this as part of my homeschooling.

    Reply
  3. Nicki says

    April 28, 2016 at 4:28 am

    Definitely! That's why primary sources are so important. Books and papers written by the actual people who lived the history are the best. My next favorite thing to find is just about any book written before the 1900's, or at least the 1930's. School textbooks are the worst.

    Reply

Footer

Nicki on Instagram

Geography and history go hand in hand. I never separate the two. And Mystery of History already has map work integrated into every lesson. I get a lot of pushback for saying that public education is not appropriate for Christians. “Homeschooling isn’t even in the Bible,” I’m told. No, the words are not there, but the principle definitely is. "Don’t let the world raise your children. Be intentional and fill their hearts and minds with the Word of God." -Nancy Leigh DeMoss I live in a very rural county in Texas. You know, the red-state Bible belt? And I get firsthand accounts from the parents and kids in my town, my church, and my neighborhood that would shock you. Smartphone videos that children pass around on the school bus. Foul language in kindergarten. Sexual escapades that happen at school and are discussed with all ages. Trans kids of every age. Bullying that scars children for life. And in case you hadn’t heard, the war on drugs was lost. Kids are still using them, selling them, and becoming addicted to them. I’m just gonna say it: sending kids off to school for the majority of their childhood is not normal, or biblical. Mamas feel that separation pain because we were created to raise, nurture, and mentor our own children. That task is not designed for strangers or government agents. I recently saw a new homeschool mom post in a forum that she had found a stack of books at the dollar store about Ben Franklin, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. She was excited because these would meet the "good citizenship" requirement for homeschooling in Texas. The overturning of Roe v. Wade at the Supreme Court level has brought up many interesting conversations. And let me tell you, if you have kids who are old enough to understand it, they are old enough to be confronted by the discourse happening in our culture. Sadly, even Christian adults are easily swayed by their emotions, as well as some of the worst meme theology on the internet. If this is your first year to homeschool, let me prepare you for a few things. I'm having a NOT BACK TO SCHOOL sale this week on homeschool t-shirts and everything else in my shop! Stock up on tees, hoodies, totes, backpacks, and water bottles with my custom designs for homeschooling families and get 20% OFF. There are also designs for Mom!

Nicki on Pinterest

Nicki on Facebook

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • Terms and Conditions

Copyright 2009-2021 Nicki Truesdell