About This Book
Nathaniel Philbrick's 'The Mayflower and the Pilgrims' New World' offers a detailed and engaging narrative of one of America's foundational stories. It covers the motivations behind the Pilgrims' voyage, the harrowing journey across the Atlantic, their first brutal winter in Plymouth, and the crucial assistance from and eventual conflicts with the Wampanoag people. The book aims to provide a balanced perspective, highlighting both the cooperation and the tragic breakdown of trust between the two cultures over fifty years. This 338-page chapter book is best suited for late elementary and middle school readers, offering a rich, immersive dive into 17th-century American history.
After a journey across the Atlantic, the Mayflower's passengers were saved from destruction with the help of the natives of the Plymouth region. For fifty years, peace was maintained as Pilgrims and Natives worked together. But that trust was broken withthe next generation of leaders, and conflict erupted that nearly wiped out English and natives alike.
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Discussion Prompts
1
What were some of the biggest challenges the Pilgrims faced during their voyage and first winter? How did they overcome them?
2
How did the Native Americans help the Pilgrims? What do you think motivated their actions?
3
The book describes a period of peace and then conflict. What factors led to the breakdown of trust between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans?
4
If you were a Pilgrim, what would you miss most about your old home? What would you be most excited about in the New World?
5
The Mayflower Compact was an important agreement. Why was it necessary, and what does it tell us about the Pilgrims' desire for self-governance?
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