Mayflower Papers & Assignment Topics

Essay Topics/Writing Assignments

These 20 essay questions can be used as essay questions on a test, or as stand-alone essay topics for a take-home or in-class writing assignment. Students should have a full understanding of the text in order to answer these questions. They ask for a thorough analysis of the text.

1. The author states that when violence and fear grip a society, it is easy to demonize the enemy as justification for violent actions. Discuss how the Pilgrims and/or the Indians justified violence by demonizing one another throughout the many conflicts that occurred between the groups.

2. A common theme throughout the book is the Puritan belief that everything in life happens for a reason. Explain this belief, how it affected the Puritan's daily lives, and show examples of incidents the Puritans believed occurred because God made them occur.

3. In Chapter 3, a Frenchmen told...
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