CORPORACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA MINUTO DE DIOS

BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES WITH AN ENGLISH

CONCENTRATION
NRC 65505 POST-COLONIAL LITERATURE
PROFESSOR: JOSUÉ FORERO

Student 1’s name:Sergio Alejandro Herrera Puentes ID: 702778

Student 2’s name:Laura Daniela Ortiz Patiño ID: 747664

WORKSHOP #2

Read the fragment from “Of Plymouth Plantation” by William Bradford. Then join a
classmate and answer the following questions:

1. If you had been a Plymouth settler, what do you think would have been your
greatest challenge?
2. What hardships did the Pilgrims face aboard the Mayflower and in Plymouth?
3. (a)What caused the Pilgrims to land on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts, instead of
farther south, near the Hudson River? (b)How did this event affect the expedition?
4. (a)What enabled the Pilgrims to survive “the Starving Time”? (b)What do
Bradford’s comments reveal about the Pilgrims’ character?
5. (a)What did Samoset and Squanto accomplish? (b)What do you think might have
happened to the Pilgrims without Squanto’s help?

Answers:

1. If we had been Plymouth settlers, our greatest challenge would have been to survive
these fierce winds and the seas so high. Considering that one of us lacks the ability to swim
while the other possesses limited aquatic survival skills, the possibility of surviving such
dangerous tides would have been slim for either of us.

Assuming survival, it could be really challenging adapting to harsh living conditions in a

new and unfamiliar environment; the extreme weather without adequate shelter, navigating
through scarcity of food, and the potential discord within our group arising from
desperation and deteriorating conditions would have posed significant challenges.

2. Some hardships that the Pilgrims faced aboard the Mayflower and in Plymouth could be
diseases, strong currents in the ocean considering that it was an unknown territory and
climate. The ship had many breakdowns and problems which made the crossing difficult.
The lack of food showed that they had a hard time.

3.
A) The Pilgrims’ idea was to stand for the Southward and arrive near the Hudson River
because of the weather conditions. However, they faced strong storms with fierce winds,
which were dangerous should they be roading them. Atlantic Ocean. These storms pushed
their ship, the Mayflower, off course, leading them to land in present-day Cape Cod,
Massachusetts.

B) This event significantly affected the expedition as it forced the Pilgrims to establish their
settlement in a location that was not their intended landing place. Landing in Cape Cod
presents to The Pilgrims a harsh reality where they found themselves without support,
shelter, or, as the author puts it, there was no way to seek for succor. They faced a sharp and
violent winter, limited resources, and possible conflict with Native American Tribes.

4 A) It can be said that the pilgrims were able to survive because they were very
persevering in difficult situations. People who were not sick cared for the sick and helped
them. They did everything to be able to survive and advance everything with the act of
serving and helping.
B) According to Bradford's words, the Pilgrims' strong character and beliefs played an
important role in their survival. For example, he mentions how they worked together in an
orderly manner and how they rationed their limited supplies and relied on their faith in God
to get them through the difficult times. This reveals the determination, cooperation and
confidence of the pilgrims in their religious convictions to strengthen themselves and
remain united in the face of any adversity.

5.A) Squanto and Samoset managed to help the pilgrims by exchanging skins and food with
them. Squanto also taught the pilgrims how to plant and harvest native crops. Both Squanto
and Samoset spoke English. Samoset learned rudimentary English through trading with
fishermen on the New England coast.

B) If the navigation, adaptation, and survival process were already challenging, the absence
of Squanto's assistance could have increased the Pilgrims' difficulties significantly. Without
Squanto's guidance, they might have struggled even more to adapt to their new place,
acquire crucial skills such as fishing and agricultural techniques, communicate effectively
with other native tribes, and establish peaceful relations.
There is no doubt that Squanto's knowledge was indispensable for the colony's success,
enabling transparent communication with neighboring Native American tribes and
facilitating the establishment of their settlement in Plymouth.