A Discussion Guide
[T]he face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many for which they blessed God.
—William Bradford, Governor of the Plymouth Colony—
The audio clips presented in this article are designed to be used in connection with this online discussion guide. A printable copy of the guide is available for download here.
You may know that from 1621 to 1623, the Pilgrims lived under a communal arrangement that today we would call socialism. This discussion guide is based on a Word Foundations article titled “Ditching Socialism in the New World: A Lesson for 21st-Century Americans,” and chapter 1 of Heed the Pilgrims on Socialism and Critical Race Theory. These are essentially identical, and they offer readers a paraphrase of William Bradford’s account of what occurred during the 2-year period he and his fellow settlers endured socialism.
An audio edition of “Ditching Socialism” is available for download here. It is eighteen-and-a-half minutes long and read by Micah Sample. You do not have to have read or heard the article to use the discussion guide; audio clips relating the most important elements in the story are provided below. The combined time for all eight clips is just over nine minutes.
Suggestion: After Thanksgiving dinner or at some other point during Thanksgiving Day itself or the holiday period, call everyone together and use this discussion guide to learn about and to explore what happened to the Pilgrims. We can more fully appreciate their attitude of thankfulness if we know the kinds of challenges they had endured. Listen to each audio clip, then use the suggested discussion items to share reactions and insights. Ideas for discussing the content covered in the audio clips have been intentionally designed to be brief; however, more lengthy conversations can occur if your group would like to have them.
A reasonable amount of time to allot for this exchange of thoughts and ideas between family and friends is about 30 minutes. Try it! You’ll learn, not only about the Pilgrims, but also about history, freedom and liberty, and biblical teachings on work, responsibility, and gratitude. In addition, some misconceptions and myths about socialism — an increasingly popular ideology today — just might fade under the light of truth. Keep in mind, though, that this is a time to learn and share about what happened to the Plymouth settlers and why, not a time to argue!
Clip #1
The Mayflower Compact — Societal Order Is Important
length of clip: 1:43 (sometimes the readings on the audio bands are inaccurate)
Discuss: Governor Bradford wrote, “Unity and harmony had to be preserved. If we didn’t stick together, we wouldn’t survive!” Ask the members of your group to describe how important it was for order to be maintained. Ask: What were some of the risks if laws that were made were not respected and obeyed?
Clip #2
The Communal Arrangement — The Guidelines
length of clip: 0:57
Ask: Without private property, why might more people than usual try to dodge work? Discuss, then say: Let’s see what Bradford had to say. Then play Clip #3.
For Clips 3-8 and additional suggestions for leading your discussion, go here.
Copyright © 2024 by B. Nathaniel Sullivan. All rights reserved.
top image credit: Interview of Samoset with the Pilgrims, depicting Samoset meeting the Pilgrims
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