Miles Smith

Last Thanksgiving, we discussed the true history of the holiday and the legacy of the Pilgrims can still be felt to this day.

Last Thanksgiving, we discussed the true history of the holiday and the legacy of the Pilgrims can still be felt to this day.

Oh, it was my pleasure.

Oh, it was my pleasure.

Well, it's a motley crew. About 30 to 40% are the group of people we call the pilgrims. They're dissident English Protestants. They were called the Brownest in England. They were followers of a guy named Brown. And they're convinced they have to actually completely separate from the Church of England. They're not even interested in reforming it. They've got to get out of England.

Well, it's a motley crew. About 30 to 40% are the group of people we call the pilgrims. They're dissident English Protestants. They were called the Brownest in England. They were followers of a guy named Brown. And they're convinced they have to actually completely separate from the Church of England. They're not even interested in reforming it. They've got to get out of England.

And so they're kind of seen as cranks, interestingly enough. They go to the Netherlands first. And then they decide, oh, Holland's maybe even not as holy enough for them. So they sort of set out to find a place where they can truly build what they think is a godly commonwealth. And so they charter a wineship. Interestingly enough, the Mayflower had been a wineship

And so they're kind of seen as cranks, interestingly enough. They go to the Netherlands first. And then they decide, oh, Holland's maybe even not as holy enough for them. So they sort of set out to find a place where they can truly build what they think is a godly commonwealth. And so they charter a wineship. Interestingly enough, the Mayflower had been a wineship

And this was sort of controversial. The Puritans were sort of very pious people who had some thoughts. Well, maybe we shouldn't drink alcohol. Some of them did, by the way. So there was sort of a controversy even on what they were charting. So they charter a wine ship and they go to then what was Virginia. All of the East Coast was considered Virginia.

And this was sort of controversial. The Puritans were sort of very pious people who had some thoughts. Well, maybe we shouldn't drink alcohol. Some of them did, by the way. So there was sort of a controversy even on what they were charting. So they charter a wine ship and they go to then what was Virginia. All of the East Coast was considered Virginia.

And so their voyage takes them somewhere in the order of 40 to 50 days. And they're crossing the North Atlantic. And it's pretty clear that the pilgrims are not sure about the rest of the passengers who are kind of what you might think of working class, rough, sort of working people. Parliament called the rest of the passengers human awful, O-F-F-A-L. It means human poop.

And so their voyage takes them somewhere in the order of 40 to 50 days. And they're crossing the North Atlantic. And it's pretty clear that the pilgrims are not sure about the rest of the passengers who are kind of what you might think of working class, rough, sort of working people. Parliament called the rest of the passengers human awful, O-F-F-A-L. It means human poop.

And so there's not a lot of cultural commonality with the pilgrims and the rest of the people on the Mayflower. So it's a pretty eclectic crowd who's traveling across the ocean at that point.

And so there's not a lot of cultural commonality with the pilgrims and the rest of the people on the Mayflower. So it's a pretty eclectic crowd who's traveling across the ocean at that point.

Yeah, it's a good question. So actually, there's sort of a proposition. Hey, we've all got to learn to get along because we're going to the backside of the planet. We have no idea what's out there. We've got to sort of at least have some sort of organizing principle. And so what they do is they kind of draw up a civil charter, a social and civil charter.

Yeah, it's a good question. So actually, there's sort of a proposition. Hey, we've all got to learn to get along because we're going to the backside of the planet. We have no idea what's out there. We've got to sort of at least have some sort of organizing principle. And so what they do is they kind of draw up a civil charter, a social and civil charter.

And that's what we call the Mayflower Compact. And they basically say, OK, this is how we're going to run the government. No one in the early 17th century would have conceived of an idea of having secular government. They all think that government's going to be tied to religion.

And that's what we call the Mayflower Compact. And they basically say, OK, this is how we're going to run the government. No one in the early 17th century would have conceived of an idea of having secular government. They all think that government's going to be tied to religion.

And so everyone's relatively comfortable with the idea, hey, we're going to covenant with each other under God to at least create some sort of stable society here in what they think is Northern Virginia. We call it New England. They would have thought of themselves as in Northern Virginia. Yeah.

And so everyone's relatively comfortable with the idea, hey, we're going to covenant with each other under God to at least create some sort of stable society here in what they think is Northern Virginia. We call it New England. They would have thought of themselves as in Northern Virginia. Yeah.