THIS IS AMERICA CHARLIE BROWN: THE MAYFLOWER VOYAGERS

SUBJECTS — U.S./1629 – 1750;

MORAL-ETHICAL EMPHASIS — Respect.

AGE: 7 – 11; No MPAA Rating;

Animated; 24 minutes; 1988; Color. Available from Amazon.com.

DESCRIPTION

The Peanuts characters become Pilgrims on the Mayflower and endure the first difficult winter on Plymouth Plantation.

SELECTED AWARDS & CAST

Selected Awards: None.

Featured Actors: None.

Director: Evert Brown.

BENEFITS OF THE MOVIE

This short film will introduce children to the Pilgrims, their voyage on the Mayflower and the first year of the Plymouth Plantation.

Children will enjoy this film even if they are not familiar with the Peanuts characters.

POSSIBLE PROBLEMS

MINOR. This film perpetuates the inaccurate myth of the first Thanksgiving.

PARENTING POINTS

Your child will be intrigued to learn that this cartoon has some relationship to real events. Review the Helpful Background section and talk about the Pilgrims. You will not be able to cover everything but do the best you can. Immediately after the movie, or at odd times over the next week (for example at the dinner table or in the car on the way to school) bring up some of the Discussion Questions, starting with the Quick Discussion Question in the sidebar. Don’t worry if you can only get through a few questions. Just taking the film seriously and discussing it is the key. Allow your child to watch the movie several times and continue to ask and help him or her answer more discussion questions.

HELPFUL BACKGROUND

To enhance the educational value of this film, parents need only watch the film with their children and comment on two or three of the points. Some additional background is set out below.

In England, at the time of the voyage of the Mayflower, the King was the head of the Church of England. It was considered treason to dissent from the views of the established church. To avoid the repressive policies of the English government, the Puritans first emigrated to Holland. While they were not persecuted in Holland, they could not prosper. In addition, the Puritans never intended to lose their English heritage. When they saw their children adopting Dutch ways and when they realized that they would never be able to advance economically in Holland, the Puritans decided to leave and try life in a different location.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

QUICK DISCUSSION QUESTION:

Why is religious freedom important?

Suggested Response:

Respect for another person as a human being is the basis for religious freedom.

1. Click here for Standard Questions Suitable for Any Film.

2. Why did the Puritans leave Britain?

MORAL-ETHICAL EMPHASIS (CHARACTER COUNTS)

Discussion Questions Relating to Ethical Issues will facilitate the use of this film to teach ethical principles and critical viewing. Additional questions are set out below.

RESPECT

(Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule; Be tolerant of differences; Use good manners, not bad language; Be considerate of the feelings of others; Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone; Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements)

1. What does religious freedom have to do with respect?

2. Why is religious freedom important?

3. Why didn’t the British government just leave the Puritans alone?

ASSIGNMENTS, PROJECTS & ACTIVITIES

See Assignments, Projects, and Activities for Use With Any Film that is a Work of Fiction.