A New Beginning: The Diary of Eleanor Jones
By Jennifer Stover
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Long ago, the people of England were expected to follow the Church of England. Some people did not want to do this, so they decided to form their own church. This group of people, known as Pilgrims, had to move to the Netherlands in 1608 so they could be free to follow their own religious beliefs. The Pilgrims lived in the Netherlands for about twelve years, but they were not completely happy because their children were learning foreign customs and forgetting the English ones. Because of this, the Pilgrims moved back to England and made plans to go to North America. The following story, based on true events, is about the struggle of Jacob and Eleanor Jones as told through Eleanor's journal.
July 1620:
The London Company is looking for settlers to start a colony over in North America in Virginia. They are offering to pay our way over in return for furs, food, and other goods, and Jacob thinks that we should go. I am going to be supportive of his decision, but at the same time I don't want to leave. We just moved back here from the Netherlands and are expecting our first child in six months. Can our family survive all of these changes at once? I pray to God that it can. Maybe it will be a new beginning for us.
September 1620:
Everyone crowded onto the Mayflower today and we began our journey to Virginia. It is a little crowded on the ship because there are almost 100 of us, but everyone is getting along fine so far. The baby seems to be doing well. I hope it waits until we are on solid ground to make its arrival. Jacob is hoping for a boy, but I know he will not really care what it is as long as it is healthy.
November 1620:
Our ship landed a fortnight ago. It took a little over 60 days to get here and we are not even in the right place. The storms and high winds blew us off course and we are now in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Even though this land is not owned by the London Company, we have decided to settle here because winter is coming and it is too late to go back to England. Since Jacob is one of our leaders, he went to a meeting to sign The Mayflower Compact. According to him, this document states all of the laws for the colony. The men also chose John Carver as our governor. Little Clarence arrived last week. He is not very big, but he is healthy just the same. I hope the coming winter will not be too hard on him. He is already his father's pride and joy.
March 1621:
Winter was extremely hard on everyone, so thankfully Spring is on its way. We were not as prepared for the cold as we should have been, and we almost ran out of food. Over one half of the colonists died, including Governor Carver. We have chosen William Bradford as our new leader. Our family had a scare when Clarence became sick. Jacob stayed by his bedside almost every day and night taking care of him. Thank God our family survived and is healthy again.
July 1621:
We have met some Indians! They are so different than we are, but they seem eager to be our friends. Squanto, a good Indian friend, has taught us many things. Our crops have not been growing due to the lack of rain, so he has shown us how to survive until the crops start to grow. When the tide is low, the men go onto the beach and rake up the clams so that we can eat them. He has also shown us how to grow the grain called corn. We had never seen it before, but it tastes good. We have also learned some of the ways of the land, such as what berries and plants are good for us and where the best places to hunt are. If it were not for Squanto's help, I do not think that we could have made it this far. Jacob is enjoying the new life that we have started here. He finished our house last month, and I am having fun unpacking our things and decorating it. God has been good to us.
November 1621:
God has blessed our colony richly, so we decided to set aside a day to thank Him for our good fortune. Massasoit, the Indian leader, and his Indian friends also came to join in the celebration. We feasted for three days on clams, wild turkey, geese, corn, bread, fruit, berries, and many other dishes. We have so much to thank God for. I am thankful for a healthy family, a comfortable place to live, and good friends. Most of all, Jacob and I are thankful for the new beginning that God has given us in this place where we can worship Him freely. To God we are truly grateful.
The original colony survived many hard times, but they remained dependent on God through it all. These colonists helped form the beginning foundations of our country and if it were not for their brave efforts, our country would not be where it is today. Jacob and Eleanor Jones are fictitious characters, but all of the events in this diary are real. They experienced the same hardships and trials that the settlers of the Plymouth colony did, as well as the good times. The thing that remained constant in their lives and the lives of the original colonists was God's grace and goodness. They truly had a reason to celebrated the first Thanksgiving.
A New Beginning: The Diary of Eleanor Jones
By Jennifer D. Stover
Outline:
I. Introduction:
A. Church of England
B. Pilgrims
C. Netherlands
D. Jacob and Eleanor Jones--her journal
II. July 1620
A. London Company
B. Expecting First Child--6 months
III. September 1620
A. Mayflower
B. Almost 100 passengers
IV. November 1620
A. Trip took 60 days
B. Plymouth, Massachusetts
C. The Mayflower Compact
D. John Carver--governor
E. Clarence is born
V. March 1621
A. Hard Winter--one half of people die, including governor
B. William Bradford, new leader
C. Clarence sick, but survives
VI. July 1621
A. Indians
B. Squanto
C. Learned many new things--clams, corn, hunting, berries
D. House finished
VII. November 1621
A. Thanksgiving feast--turkey, berries, corn, bread, fruit, etc.
B. Massasoit and friends
C. Thank God for new beginning.
Prop suggestions: Black skirt and blouse, white collar, white Pilgrim hat, journal
Questions:
- Why did the Pilgrims leave England?
- What did The Mayflower Compact contain?
- How did Squanto help the Pilgrims?
- What would you have done to survive the winter if you were a Pilgrim?
- Name several character qualities the Pilgrims demonstrated as they moved to North America.
Answers to Questions:
- The Pilgrims left England so that they could worship God freely.
- The Mayflower Compact contained the laws for the colony.
- Squanto helped the Pilgrims by teaching them to rake clams, to identify good plants and berries, to hunt, and to plant corn.
- Answers will vary.
- Answers will vary. They might include determination, perseverance, obedience, compassion, etc.
Sources:
McAuley, K., and Wilson, R. (1989). The United States Past to Present. Lesington: D. C. Heath and Co.