The Tale of the Pilgrims -- Why It Needs to Be Taught

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American Thinker:


The Tale of the Pilgrims -- Why It Needs to Be Taught
By Charlotte Cushman


The study of the history and culture of one's own country is a vital element of education. It is important for children to understand how and why they are living the way they are now and that it is a result of what people who lived before them have done. They need to be able to connect the dots -- these prevailing thoughts led to fights, these ideas led to prosperity, this action led to that one, and so on. It is from making these kinds of connections that the child learns how to think logically.

The tale of the Pilgrims who came to America to escape tyranny is a heroic and moving story. Most children have been told the basic story of Thanksgiving. Here are some more facts for your own information or that you may want to discuss with your child this holiday:

When the Pilgrims left their homeland, their friends and family shed many tears of anguish because they knew they would never see each other again -- ever.
There were two ships that set out for America: the Speedwell and the Mayflower, but they had to return to England several times because the Speedwell sprang a leak and needed repair. After attempting numerous times to fix it, they decided to just set sail on the Mayflower instead and leave the Speedwell behind. That meant that most of the passengers boarded the Mayflower, and it was now even more crowded than before. By the time the Pilgrims set sail for good, they had already used up all their food they had reserved for when they reached America.