Why Liberty Matters: The Pilgrim Settlers
Liberty: The pilgrims sought liberty when they made the decision to settle America.
The word liberty means to be free, to follow a new and perhaps different path than others before you. It provides the foundation for the things we enjoy as Americans, and the Constitutional Rights we have as Americans. Many of the early explorers and settlers wanted some form of liberty. They wanted the liberty to choose where to explore, how to explore, and what to explore. Early settlers also wanted the liberty to live the life they chose based on their beliefs.
The word ‘liberty’ is an important word throughout the history of North America and Europe. ‘Liberty’ is an old Latin word originating from the word ‘libertas’. Etymologists — this is the name for a person who studies the origin and history of words –tells us it comes from the name of the goddess Libertas in ancient times, who represented freedom or a state of being free.
Liberty means having the power to do what you want, go where you want, eat what you want, and say what you want. It means you are free to make your own choices. With liberty comes responsibility. Liberty does not mean that you can do whatever you feel like doing. We are free to do what we want as long as what we want does not take away someone else’s freedom or put their life at risk. Having liberty does NOT mean you are free from the consequences of your choices.
At the beginning of our country, a new attitude toward government developed. It began with the idea of self-government and the liberty to choose our leaders. The colonists understood that people are all equal beings. They also understood that each person, at some level, wants the liberty to choose their path and the path of their community. The colonists wanted a government to match these beliefs. They believed it is each person’s responsibility to govern their life, and to accomplish this, people must share common beliefs and trust in each other.
Liberty mattered to the colonists as well as the early American settlers. Many of them left their homes in search of liberty.
The colonists understood their order of responsibility in the colony to be as follows: faith, the individual, elected representatives, and a system of government.
The Mayflower landed in the new world in November of 1620, but the 102 Pilgrims did not get off the Mayflower for the first time until December. It took this much time for the leaders to decide the best place to begin building their homes. They called this place Plymouth, named after the port of Plymouth in England, where they started their journey first to Holland and then to the New World.
“To the astonishment of many and almost to the wonder of the world, from so small a beginning such great things should ensue.”
– William Bradford