Mayflower Myth

Where did the Pilgrims land when they came to North America?

• Canada
• Virginia
• The Hudson River
• Cape Cod Harbor

What does the author list in this article?

• the types of food at the first harvest feast
• the colors of clothing that Pilgrims wore
• the different cities where colonists settled
• the ways in which the Indians helped the Pilgrims

The Plymouth colonists had strong religious beliefs.

What evidence in the text supports this conclusion?

• “To them, a thanksgiving was a religious holiday in which they would go to church and thank God for a specific event, such as the winning of a battle.”
• "Gradually the custom prevailed in New England of annually celebrating thanksgiving after the harvest."
• “The pilgrims had intended to go to the Hudson River region in New York State, which would have been considered “Northern Virginia,” but they landed in Cape Cod instead.”
• “The original feast in 1621 occurred sometime between September 21 and November 11. Unlike our modern holiday, it was three days long.”

 Based on the article as a whole, what is a myth?

• something that people think is a lie, and that is a lie
• something that people believe to be true, and that is true
• something that people believe to be true, but that may not be true
• something that people think is a lie, but that is actually true

Which sentence from the text best states the article's main idea? 

• “The feast was a secular celebration, so it never would have been considered a thanksgiving in the pilgrims’ minds.”
• "The story of the Pilgrims and their harvest feast has since become one of best-known in American history, but you may not know it as well as you think.”
• "Gradually the custom prevailed in New England of annually celebrating thanksgiving after the harvest.”
• "Plymouth, the colony established there by the Pilgrims in 1621, became the first permanent European settlement in New England.”

Why might the author have chosen to use headings that start with “Myth:” throughout the entire article?

• to hint that people today do not believe that Thanksgiving is important
• to show that people today think of the Pilgrims as imaginary heroes
• to help put the content of the article into groups based on the myth they address
• to prove that the statements in the headings are all completely true

Choose the answer that best completes this sentence.
The pilgrims landed in Cape Cod instead of the Hudson River region ______ treacherous seas prevented them from venturing further south.

• because
• although
• however
• for example

What did the pilgrims think of as a “thanksgiving?” 

• a religious holiday for which they would go to church and thank God for a specific event
• a feast with dancing, singing and games
• a meal shared with Native Americans
• a voyage to a new place

The types of recreational activities that the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians participated in during the 1621 harvest feast–dancing, singing secular songs, playing games–wouldn’t have been allowed.
Which word or phrase below could replace secular without changing the meaning of the sentence?

• religious
• repeat after me
• nonreligious 
• silly

Treacherous seas prevented them from venturing further south.
Which word below is an antonym for treacherous?

• Hazardous
• Difficult
• Calm
• Unsafe