It’s September 16, 1620, and your family is boarding the Mayflower to start a new life in America because of financial troubles. You step on the wooden planks leading up to the glorious ship. You see many people old and young, small and tall, rich and poor have boarded this ship. Although you don’t know it yet, you will soon make history.
The first night is rough. You’re living in cramped quarters in freezing cold while the ship rocks like a giant pendulum.
A few days later, you have your first church sermon on the Mayflower. You see the only baby born on the ship ,“Oceanus”, that everyone has been talking about. “We are gathered here today to thank our lord above for the ability to be able to sail on this glorious ship” said the reverend. He then talked some more about how lucky you really are to be on this marvelous ship. “Amen” the reverend announced. You head back to your tight quarters, where you then must complete your grueling ship duties. Child labor was not yet illegal.
Weeks pass with the same usual routines, but then around a month into the journey, you are woken by a terrible storm. Crack You look up and see one of the main masts slowly falling over which would certainly cause the ship to sink. Everyone aboard would surely die. Then a miracle happens; the passengers have a “great iron screw” which holds the mast in place, saving the ship and its occupants from certain doom.
One more month passes and you hear the words you have been waiting to hear since the start of your 66 day long journey to America. they sound heavenly in your ears as the beautiful words “land ho!, land ho!” ring out across the ship.
You dock at what is now called Cape Cod on November 11th. A few weeks later you sail up to Plymouth and start building your town where a group of Wampanoag had previously lived, though they died of an unknown sickness.
You and your fellow pilgrims lived on the safely docked ship for a few more months, coming on land during the day to build up the town. Sadly, many people begin to get sick and about half of them die, including some of your family and closest friends.
After the village has been completed, your mother informs you that a Native American has come to visit. His name is Samoset. Surprisingly he spoke English. “Welcome, Englishmen,” he said. After establishing relationships he leaves and Squanto, who speaks better English arrives.
Squanto, like Samoset, starts to establish relationships with the pilgrims, and you start to visit the Wampanoag people while they come to visit you.
Months later, all the crops you planted have grown and are harvested. Your fellow Englishmen decide to have a feast with the Wampanoag to celebrate this bountiful harvest.
After some preparation you have a delicious meal and play with some Wampanoag children.
Many years later on October 3rd, 1863, Thanksgiving was announced a holiday.
