Going through my mother's files and papers, all her genealogy stuff, I discovered that my Uncle Linc had traced my father's side of the family back to England, and some of the family emigrated on the Mayflower.What did the passengers feel when land was finally spotted, and they stepped on to solid ground after so many months at sea? What did my ancestor do to help settle the new land? Was he a tradesman, a sailor, a husband and father? I would love for him to talk to me, tell me his dreams for his place in the new world.
To be able to experience the excitement and newness of it all, what a gift that would be.
What historians know about those first days, months and years of the travelers settling the new world is limited to diaries and ship logs, things like that. But what was the ordinary passenger's experience?
I'd like to see the human side of history.
Actually, I wouldn't mind spending a week with one of my ancestors in any century!
