Why the Pilgrims were God’s “Chosen People”
William Bradford’s story “Of Plymouth Plantation,” talks about when the Pilgrims came to America on the Mayflower, and landed at Camp Cod. Bradford was one of these passengers and took notes and wrote down facts, people till this day can’t believe are true. He talks about struggles the Pilgrims faced and obstacles that they overcame. Through everything, God was showing them, or what they believed to be signs from God, that they were his “chosen people.” “When the faithful were brought low and then rescued from the brink of disaster, they felt utter reliance upon God” (Donegan). God was guiding the pilgrims and giving them hope, that everything will be okay. Nothing could have prepared them for the signs that God was giving them, to prove they were indeed his “chosen people.” Why were the Pilgrims the chosen people? No one knows, they only know the signs that were given by God, to support the fact that they were the “chosen people.”
The Pilgrims were known as Separatists. The main reason for them leaving for North America was so they could have freedom of religion. They felt as if they would be able to chose their religion if they were somewhere else. “The separatist or Pilgrims was the more radical sect of Puritans which wanted to set up a new church separate from the Church of England, where they would practice the catholic religion as they thought it should be practiced” (“The Atlantic”). Some of the Pilgrims felt trapped in the religion that was given by the Church of England. Thus is the reason they set sail for North America, to live the way they felt was right.
Bradford himself believed that God had called upon him and his people to be his chosen ones. Bradford states, “From my years young in days of youth, God did make known to me his truth, And call'd me from my native place For to enjoy the means of grace. In wilderness he did me guide, And in strange lands for me provide. In fears and wants, through weal and woe, A pilgrim, past I to and fro” (Faith). As Bradford and many others, believed guided them to their destiny. God has a divine path for everyone, with the Pilgrims, he helped them along their way. If it wasn’t for God, many of the obstacles and tribulations, the pilgrims might not have made it through. The following will show how God took such a part in the Pilgrims trip on the Mayflower and across the Atlantic Ocean. Before the Pilgrims started their voyage to North America, they were battling between two types of “religions.” Not a true religion difference, but as the book states, “These people became two distinct bodies or churches, and in regard of distance of place did congregate severally; for there were of sundry towns and village….” (Bradford 123). Even though the villages were divided, they all still believed in the same God, just worshipped him in different ways. Whichever way was preferred, it didn’t matter. So they decided that the only way things would get done was if they worked together and abided by the same laws, which was mutually agreed.
The first distinct sign given from God takes place on the Mayflower, on their voyage to North America. The Pilgrims believed their voyage to be God’s distinct plan for them, in which it may have just been that. They spent approximately sixty-six days on the Mayflower. Many endured seasickness and there was one woman who was documented of giving birth to her child on the Mayflower. While the Pilgrims were on the ship, there was one man who was making fun of the Pilgrims for getting seasick. “But it pleased God before they came half seas over, to smite this young man with a grievous disease, of which he dies in a desperate manner, and so was himself the first that was thrown overboard” (Bradford 131). For this man was making fun of the Pilgrims and downing God’s love for the Pilgrims, mimicking them in a way. “He [Bradford] tells how God smote a haughty seaman who taunted the Pilgrims ‘with a grievous disease, of which he died in a desperate manner” (Partenheimer). God punished him for trying to get the Pilgrims hopes down. “The colonists believed he died because God was punishing him for being cruel” (“Mayflower”). With the sign from God, that he was there to protect them, all it did was bring their spirits up.
Following this man dying, God showed his love once more when there was a young man who fell overboard and began to drown, but somehow, someway, he was brought back on the boat. “And in one of them, as they thus lay at hull, in a mighty storm, a lusty young man… coming upon some occasion above the gratings, was, with a seele of the ship thrown in [the] sea; but it pleased God that he caught hold of the topsail halyards….till he was hauled up by the same rope to the brim of the water, and then with a boat hook and other means got into the ship again” (Bradford 132) After this near death experience, this young man realized that he was one of God’s chosen people, and started to believe more, and worship him. “Yet he lived many years after, and became a profitable member both in church and commonwealth” (Bradford 132). People say this young man never did doubt God’s plan for him again. He owed God his life for what he had done for him. Therefore, he now praised God, if not the same or more, than any other Pilgrim during this time. According to Bradford’s “Of Plymouth Plantation,” if it wasn’t for God, that young man would have drowned and probably would have been forgotten. But, because he showed his courage by grabbing the rope when he fell overboard, God saved his life at the last minute.
Moving on with their voyage, they went through terrible storms. Many of the ships in during this time were destroyed by storms and became shipwrecked. But fortunately going through these storms they went, they damaged the Mayflower. After realizing the ship was damaged, the passengers of the boat started to get worried. They examined the problems with the ship and “Fortunately, the passengers had brought along a “great iron screw,” which helped raise the beam back into place so the ship could continue” (“Mayflower”). After they sustained the ships problems with the help of God, they continued on their journey. The rest of the way they “committed themselves to God” (Bradford 132). Since they did put their lives in God’s hands, he repaid them by getting them to land safely, without the ship falling apart. So yet again, the Pilgrims saw another sign from God, that they indeed were his “chosen ones.” Also during this time, there were pirates that would sail the seas and take over boats, some may say that God kept the pirates away from the Mayflower because they never came across any pirates, thankfully.
Furthermore, they landed at North America, Cape Cod to be exact and the Pilgrims were starving. So, some of the people went out to locate some kind of food. During this expedition, they came across five or six men. When the men noticed the pilgrims, they ran and disappeared. The Pilgrims went after them and tried to find them. As for, they did not find these men, but they did find something they considered to be, what some may say, “The Jack Pot.” Instead of finding a colony of people (which they thought they would find after seeing the men), they found fields of freshly grown corn, beans, along with fresh spring water. After not eating for days, the Pilgrims grabbed as much as they could, without taking it all, back to their people that traveled with them on the Mayflower. They were very thankful to have found, what they believed to be a feast, all thanks to their beloved God. “…but God gave them health and strength in a good measure, and showed them by experience the truth of that word, “That man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord …” (Donegan). They believed that God guided them to find this food, so that they would not die of starvation nor dehydration. They praised God for the food he had led them to.
The Pilgrims ate and set up camp for the night. In the middle of the night “their sentinel called, ‘Arm! Arm,’ so they bestirred them and stood their arms, and shot off a couple of muskets, and then the noise ceased” (Bradford 136). Many of the Pilgrims jumped up, and after realizing the noises they heard was probably wolfs or some other wild animal, they decided to go back to sleep. They slept until about five o’clock in the morning, and were dressed with a breakfast. When all of a sudden one of their men came running crying, “Men, Indian, Indians” (Bradford 136). So the Pilgrims all stood up, at this time, arrows were already flying their way. But they stood their ground with “the good providence of God.” When they arrived to where the Indians were. They stood there ready to fight. When the fight began, more arrows were coming their way. But surprisingly, by the grace of God, not one arrow hit, hurt or came close to them. For “it please God to vanquish their enemies and gave them deliverance” (Bradford 137). This was believed to be the real eye opening for the Pilgrims that God was truly behind them one hundred percent, that they could accomplish much of anything, as long as it was in God’s plans for them to do.
With this being done, the Pilgrims now had free range of the land, even though the Indians had already been there. With the Pilgrims winning the battle, the Indians and Pilgrims were eventually able to work together and be partners in this land now known as America. After their battle, the Indians and Pilgrims eventually decided to work together. The Indians helped teach the Pilgrims how to farm. God was helping them once again. Because the Indians have been in America already, they knew how the land was and how exactly things needed to be done to make food grow. So, some may say that God had an influence on the Indians to help the Pilgrims, or the Indians just had a good heart, for the Pilgrims did win the battle.
In conclusion, William Bradford described the Pilgrims to be God’s chosen people in his short story “Of Plymouth Plantation.” The Pilgrims were hit with many obstacles on their voyage to North America. With these voyages, God showed them in many ways that he has chosen them as his “chosen people.” God saved their ship from falling apart, even through the strong storms and winds on the Atlantic; he helped them find food when they got to North America; he saved a man who was drowning on the Mayflower. Finally, he protected the Pilgrims from being harmed by the Indians arrows when they were at battle with each other. Then God helped influence the Indians to help teach the Pilgrims how to crow crops, as for the Pilgrims did exchange with other help. For it wasn’t for these two very different types of people, us Americans today, would not have the National holiday Thanksgiving. So, in the end, some may believe the Pilgrims were God’s chosen people, or some may say it was just luck they accomplished all their obstacles they were given. “Bradford believed that he and his fellow Pilgrims were fulfilling God’s diving plan” on taking this risk and leaving for North America (Partenheimer).Would you say the Pilgrims are God’s chosen people or are they just considered lucky?

Works Cited
Bradford, William. “Of Plymouth Plantation.” The Norton Anthology: American Literature. 1590-1657. p 121 -157.
Donegan, Kathleen. “As Dying, Yet Behold We Live’: Catastrophe And Interiority In Bradford’s ‘Of Plymouth Plantation. ‘(William Bradford)(Critical Essay).” Early American Literature 1 (2002):9. Literature Resource Center. Web. 12 Sept. 2014.
“Mayflower and the Mayflower Compact.” Plymouth Plantation. 2003-2014. Web. 12 Sept. 2014.
Partenheimer, David. “Bradford’s ‘Of Plymouth Plantation: 1620-1647.’ (Book By William Bradford).” The Explicator 3 (1998): p121. Literature Resource Center. Web. 12 Sept. 2014.
“The Atlantic Passage of the Puritans.” 3.gettysburg.edu. Web. 12 Sept. 2014.