The Pilgrims In William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation

Over the course of history, people have yearned for freedom, like the pilgrims in William Bradford's “Of Plymouth Plantation” and secured the freedom in their country, like in the “Founding Documents” of Thomas Jefferson and Gouverneur Morris. The pilgrims migrated to a land that was foreign to them in a quest of finding religious freedom while the “Founding Documents” gave people the opportunity of having liberty. In Of Plymouth Plantation, the pilgrims, were escaping England, more so the church of England. Bradford states, “In December 1620, about 100 settlers disembarked the Mayflower looking to break away from the church of England.” (4). They longed for the capability to practice whichever religion they desired, but the King did not accept any other religious practices that were not Roman Catholic. Therefore a group of separatists, a religious group seeking liberty, made the decision to come to the Americas. While in America, over a century later, Congress proposed twelve amendments to secure the rights of the people, only ten were ratified. Those ten amendments were known as the Bill of Rights. The first amendment out …show more content…
The freedom of speech also was an addition to the freedom of religion. Many of the pilgrims were very much grateful to have arrived to their destination that they professed the grateful fullness as Bradford mentions, “they were brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven…”(5). If they were still back in England they might have not had the permission to bless the God of Heaven. Seeing as the pilgrims were on different soil, they had the ability to voice out what they are feeling, thinking, questioning, etc. There was no one there holding their minds captive. The first amendment also “...abridges the freedom of speech..” which makes it illegal to, well, stop the freedom of speaking and voicing out your opinion.(Jefferson and Morris