Growing up in New England, I assumed everyone was familiar with the Pilgrims and the events of 1620 at Plymouth. Lately, I’ve noticed that when I mention this topic, many people don’t seem to remember it. Should I adjust my expectations and stop assuming that this is common knowledge?
Yes, my second and third graders just covered this in class. It’s normal for people to forget details from their schooling over time. We introduced the topic using a specific educational video.
zodiac said:
Yes, my second and third graders just covered this in class. It’s normal for people to forget details from their schooling over time. We introduced the topic using a specific educational video.
Exactly, people don’t retain every detail from school. The Pilgrims are taught quite early, usually around Thanksgiving, so it’s understandable that adults might have a fuzzy memory of it. School isn’t just about memorizing facts—it’s about learning how to learn and apply knowledge.
I’m from the South, and we did learn about the Pilgrims in both elementary and high school, but it wasn’t a major focus.
Mark said:
I’m from the South, and we did learn about the Pilgrims in both elementary and high school, but it wasn’t a major focus.
I’m from the North and we briefly touched on the emigrants who left for the USA, but the year 1620 doesn’t stand out. Our focus was more on the U.S. constitution and its major impacts.
I just finished teaching about the Pilgrims this week, so it’s definitely still in the curriculum.
It’s part of the curriculum, but I personally find Tisquantum (Squanto) more intriguing and spend a good amount of time on his story before moving on to the Salem Witch Trials, which also offers great insights into societal behaviors.
The teaching of Pilgrims has evolved, and while the basic facts are still taught, the depth of discussion can vary greatly. My experience has been that there’s a blending of the Pilgrims and Puritans into a single narrative, which might not do justice to the distinct influences of other groups like the Quakers in early New England history.
The Pilgrims are no longer idolized as they once were. They’re seen as part of a larger story of early American settlements, so the focus on specific dates like 1620 has diminished.
As someone from New England, I learned about the Pilgrims’ foundational role in American history during my early education. However, as I advanced in school, we also discussed the darker aspects of their impact, including issues related to indigenous peoples.
Funny enough, my child recently mistook a group of Mennonites for Pilgrims during an off-season beach trip, so they’re definitely learning something about them!
Educational content varies by school. For instance, private faith-based schools might emphasize traditional narratives like Thanksgiving plays, while public schools might refer to the Pilgrims as ‘Plymouth Colonists’ and discuss the accuracy of the term ‘Pilgrim.’
Here in California, the story of the Pilgrims is taught, but we also discuss the complex realities of their survival strategies and interactions with Native Americans, shedding light on the less romanticized aspects of their legacy.
I learned about Jamestown in Virginia well before the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. It’s interesting how regional differences affect the focus of historical education.
In Maryland, the curriculum includes some information about New England, but there’s a stronger emphasis on the history of local settlements like those in Virginia and Maryland.
Many of the freshmen entering the junior college where I teach, despite being high school graduates, seem to know little about this part of American history.
During my school years in the 60s in the Midwest, we had to learn about several key historical events and their dates, including 1620.
The interactions between the Pilgrims and Native Americans involved complex exchanges, including both cultural and biological impacts, which we discussed in my history class.
Students in New England still learn about the Pilgrims, but the focus has shifted to include more critical discussions about the impacts of their settlement on indigenous peoples.
Masitsa said:
Students in New England still learn about the Pilgrims, but the focus has shifted to include more critical discussions about the impacts of their settlement on indigenous peoples.
While it’s true that the Pilgrims’ actions had significant consequences, it’s important to view their behavior within the context of the times. They weren’t unique in their actions compared to other colonial powers, which were all operating under similar global norms that often led to conflict and conquest.