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American History Tellers

The Mayflower | A Sea of Troubles | 2

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.718.3K Ratings

🗓️ 12 November 2025

⏱️ 41 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"In the fall of 1620, the Mayflower embarked on a 3,000-mile journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Over the next nine weeks, its passengers and crew battled fierce storms and rampant illness. They had left England dangerously late in the season, and provisions ran low. In the ship’s cramped cabins, the Puritan Separatists shared close quarters with a group known as “Strangers” who did not share their tight bonds or religious beliefs. When strong gales blew the ship off course, tensions between the Puritans and the Strangers exploded, threatening to tear the colony apart before they even set foot in the New World.


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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

As we explore the triumphs and tragedies that shaped America,

0:03.9

we're always striving to paint a vivid, nuanced picture of the past,

0:07.3

and with Wondery Plus, you can experience that vision in its purest form.

0:11.0

Enjoy ad-free episodes, early access to new seasons,

0:13.8

and exclusive bonus content that illuminates the human stories behind the history.

0:17.9

Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts and see American

0:21.7

History through a whole new lens. Imagine it's the middle of November, 1620, and you're trudging up a high sandy hill along the shore of Cape Cod.

0:45.0

Your ship is anchored in the bay with most of the colonists on board, but you and 15 fellow pilgrims have come ashore to search for a suitable location for your new settlement.

0:54.8

You passed some abandoned graves and the stubble of a harvested cornfield.

0:58.8

Clear evidence that humans have been living here, but the land is strangely empty of people.

1:04.8

As you reach the top of the slope, one of your leaders, a 30-year-old man named William Bradford,

1:10.2

stops in his tracks, and kneels down

1:12.7

beside a large amount of sand. Oh, look at this. See how it's been smoothed over? You've stepped

1:18.6

forward beside Bradford, peering down for a closer look. Well, it looks new. Someone must have patted it

1:23.9

down recently. We better leave it along. I won't hurt to see what's buried beneath.

1:28.2

I don't know. But Bradford and a few of the others have already begun clawing at the sand with their

1:33.3

hands. The rest form a defensive ring and muskets primed and ready. Oh, look at this. Bradford unearths a

1:40.6

woven basket full of dried corn. It's so heavy that he can barely lift it.

1:45.6

Beside it rests another basket containing three dozen ears of corn. His face brightens as he

1:51.3

peels back to husks to reveal red, yellow, and blue kernels that gleam like jewels in the

1:56.4

afternoon light. We should take this back to the ship. But you shake your head. That would be stealing.

2:02.7

This corn belongs to the Indians. It's obvious. They buried it here for safekeeping.

...

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