Enquiries
Voyage and Exploration
Exploration and voyage were a vital part of
early English history. Towards the beginning
of the 1600’s exploration of boundaries
and voyage alongside tales of adventure to
foreign lands were increasingly common.
Where the Pilgrims landed was actually a
long way of course from their original plans
– what might have happened if their voyage
had gone to plan? How might things have
changed in history?
The two month voyage across the ocean to
America was a huge step for the pilgrims in
search of religious freedom and improvement
in economic fortune.
Investigate the theme of voyage through
debate and group discussion; can you
imagine your class making that mammoth
journey?
Questions for Enquiry, Discussion and Debate
How common was sea travel in the
1600’s?
How could they tell if they were on route?
What was the Mayflower actually like?
Where did the route of travel across sea
take place? Where did their journey start?
How did it help or hinder their journey?
Which places were stopped at and which
seas did they cross?
Who owned the boats that the pilgrims
travelled on?
Did the Pilgrims know where they were
going?
Is sea travel more important now than it
was in the time of the Mayflower?
Resources and suggested places for research
•A
Voyage map: http://www.scholastic.com/scholastic_thanksgiving/voyage/journey.htm
This is a simplified but child friendly resource developed for gaining an understanding of the voyage
• Mayflower history videos: http://www.history.com/topics/plymouth/videos/deconstructing-history-mayflower
A short animated and re-enacted video that can introduce key aspects of the journey and the ship itself.
• The events of the journey: http://mayflowerhistory.com/voyage
This text on the events of the journey clarifying that while the pilgrims did hit storms that took them slightly of course, where they chose to
settle in Cape Cod, New England was only a few degrees off where they had intended as their original destination, what is now the Hudson
River in New York City. There is also a more accurate map.
One the same site can be found a number of other interesting resources for this theme including:
• Descriptions and history of the Mayflower ship:
http://mayflowerhistory.com/history-of-the-mayflower
• Images of paintings made of the events of the Mayflower Voyage:
http://mayflowerhistory.com/bookstore-paintings
• The May-flower and her log, July 15, 1620-May 6, 1621 : chiefly from original sources by Ames, Azel, 1845-1908.
https://archive.org/details/mayflowerherlogj00ames
Secondary source discussing detailed elements of the Mayflower story. Higher level.