Listen Now: American History Tellers | The Mayflower

The Cold War, Prohibition, the Gold Rush, the Space Race. Every part of your life - the words you speak, the ideas you share - can be traced to our history, but how well do you really know the stories that made America? We'll take you to the events, the times and the people that shaped our nation. And we'll show you how our history affected them, their families and affects you today. Hosted by Lindsay Graham (not the Senator).

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
In the fall of sixteen twenty, a battered merchant ship
called the Mayflower set sail across the Atlantic. It carried
one hundred two men, women, and children, risking it all
to start again in the New World. Every week on
American History Tellers, host Lindsey Graham, Not the Senator, takes
you through the moments that shaped America. In the latest season,

(00:23):
explore the untold story of the Pilgrims, one that goes
far beyond the familiar tale of the First Thanksgiving. After
landing at Cape Cod, the Pilgrims forged an unlikely alliance
with the Wampanog people They helped survive the most brutal
winter they had ever known, laying the foundation for a
powerful national myth. But behind that story lies another one

(00:47):
of conflict, betrayal, and brutal violence against the very people
who helped them survive. You're about to hear a clip
from American History Tellers. Follow American History Tellers on the
Wondery app or word wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
Wonder Imagine it's October sixteen twenty, it's late at night,
and you're on board the Mayflower somewhere in the middle
of the Atlantic Ocean. You're the captain of the ship,

(01:26):
and you and your crew are trying to navigate your
way through a violent storm. Rain lashes your face as
you cling to a rope ladder, bracing yourself as another
gigantic wave batters the hall. Bring the light closer. One
of your sailors, a greenhorn named Thomas, holds a swinging
lantern above you. You lean down to inspect the main
timber beam that runs from one side of the hall

(01:48):
to the other. You catch your breath as you discover
a large crack running down the center. Oh God help us.
We can't go on like this. You and Thomas climb
back down the rope ladder as half a dozen members
of your crew you. Thomas plants his boots wide on
the lurching deck, rain drops running off the brim of
his hat. What do you mean, Captain, We can't go on.

(02:08):
She won't hold I won't risk our lives any longer.
These autumn westerlies are making this voyage impossible. It's time
to turn back. Crew members stir uneasily. Thomas steps closer,
his eyes burning with anger and confusion. We can't turn back.
We've gone too far for that captain, No, we must
keep pushing west. Look around you. There's been one disaster

(02:29):
after another ever since we set sail, delays, sickness, and
now these endless gales. Never should have agreed to sail
so late in the year. But we can't turn around.
The passengers will have our hides if we don't get
them to America. That's if any of them are left. No,
but don't you understand. If we don't do the job
we were hired for and see this voyage through, we
won't see a penny. The ship groans under the force

(02:52):
of another wave. Water slashes across the deck. Every instinct
is telling you to turn back, but in the lantern
you see the desperation in the faces of your crew.
Oh God, bless very well. We'll see if the beam
can be mended. Someone fetch the screwjack from the hole,
and we'll try to clamp it back together somehow. Quickly,

(03:14):
Thomas rushes off with the other sailors, leaving you staring
at the crack and the bean. Against your better judgment,
you've bent to your crew's will. But deepen your gut,
you know the truth. This storm is only the beginning
of your troubles.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
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