Before you freak about about the number of pages, note that each page has two numbers, the second in brackets [ ]. The bracketed numbers increas much slower than the others--in fact the last bracketed number is [48]. That is the number of pages in the original. The others material consists of very long, very scholarly footnotes. You're just responsible for the original text.
Caleb Johnson is a descendant of the pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower, and he has provided a mammoth website of materials related to the first New England Settlement. Since I encountered this the first time, he as reorganized the site and moved it from aol to http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/. The version we're going to be using is a facsimile version--I kept you away from the old form of "s" as long as I could. He describes Mourt’s Relation as “This journal, written by several Pilgrims--namely William Bradford and Edward Winslow--records events at Plymouth from the Mayflower's arrival in November 1620 through the First Thanksgiving in October 1621, and everything in between” Although Plimouth and Boston were not very far apart, you're going to note a number of differences in objectives and experiences, and we're going to see what we can learn by comparing them.
For Monday, September 12
For Wednesday, September 14
Read, in Wood, Part I, Chapters 10-12, pp. 57-74
Note here the number of "plantations" Wood mentions. This will become significant as you begin to investigate town formation in early New England in the next unit of the course. In fact, why not make a list of them. (Lists help focus the mind).
Mourt's Relation, parts II A voyage made by Ten of our Men to the Kingdom of Nauset, to seek a Boy that lost himselfe in the Woods; with such Accidents as bell us in the Voyage, pp. 112 [49] - 117 [53]
and III a Journey to the Kingdome of the NEMASCHET in Defense of the Great King Massasoit against the Narragansetts and the Supposed Death of our Interpreter Tisquantum. 118 [53] - 123 [56] and
IV A Relation of our Voyage to Massachusetts and What Happened There.124 [57] - 130 [60]
Following his discussion of flora and fauna, Wood turns his attention to the indigenous Native American Population. Much of the material in Mourt's Relation also concerns contact with Native Americans.
I want you to be observant of attitudes and prejudices which the narratives contain.
What similarities are there and what differences between our sources?
Are there ways to explain the differences?
You'll find a mixed bag, here, with positive and negative observations. Take note (and notes, if that's helpful) of each.
The link takes you to the website of a private wildlife sanctuary. Prowl around the website to see what kinds of intormation it contains (and what it doesn't contain which surprises you).
It was established by a private individual and you will want to think about the motivation behind its establishment.
An internet resource for indigenous ethno-technology focusing on the arts of Eastern Woodland Indian Peoples, providing historical & contemporary background with instructional how-to's & references
The rather difficult to read button above highlights an idea we need to keep in mind. Commonly we think of the Europeans as being posessors of "technology" while the Native Americans were not. Both communities had technology of a sort, and many of the techniques used by Native Americans were more appropriate to New England than the technologies of the English colonists. Click on the button above and visit NativeTech.org. Investigate some of the ways Native Americans used the natural resources of their region. Some of these were adopted by Europeans, some not. The narrations in Mourt's Relation may offer some insight as to why more Native American technology wasn't adopted.
Read, in Wood, 
