Why Did The Europeans Come to Eastchester?

About 400 years ago in Europe, many people were unhappy with their lives. They decided to leave their safe homeland and cross the Atlantic Ocean in boats that weren't safe. Sometimes they fled war in Europe, but other times they wanted to get away from unfair treatment from others. Trying to make a new life was hard. Going to a new place that you had never been to before and trying to make it your home isn't that easy. Just like their homeland, the New World also had many problems. There were unfriendly Indians who were mad at the Europeans for taking away their land. Also, during the hard winters they would run out of food and many people would starve to death. It was a lonely place for people who had left their friends and family behind. The New World also had many diseases that the newcomers weren't immune too, but still they went looking for a new life.

Why did they leave their homes if all they got in America was a struggle to live? They wanted to be free. In Europe their lives were controlled. They had very few freedoms, but in America there was no king or queen. There was so much opportunity in this new world. You could be rich and own as much land as you wanted. In this new land every one was equal, but the most important thing was there was no one to tell them what religion to follow.

The Europeans were looking to find freedom in the New World. In Europe they couldn't worship in any religion they wanted to practice because the King thought that some religions were wrong and he wanted everyone to be the same and practice the same religion. So most Europeans left so they could practice whatever religion they chose. Some people wanted to own land and have a chance at success and wealth. Also, they had to pay high taxes in Europe which most people couldn't afford but they had to pay them. The laws in Europe were very harsh and most people didn't want such a strong government. These were all good reasons to leave their homeland.

In Europe life was much different from life in America. In Europe many people were treated unfairly. The punishments for a crime were very tough. You could be tortured, sent to prison, have parts of your body cut off, or even be killed. According to our standards now, some of the crimes were very silly, but for them it was very serious. An example is witch craft. If you were suspected for being a witch you would be burned at the stake, but they also had more common crimes, such as stealing or murder. You could be punished for believing in the wrong religion as well.

There were many reasons why the Europeans left Europe. The biggest reason was that they wanted to control their own lives. They were determined to be free even if it meant sacrificing their homes, and everything they worked for in Europe. In many cases the people who originally came died during the hard winters, but those who did survive helped build our nation.

    

Written by Emily Colasacco and Jennifer Teubl, Seventh Grade

Illustrations
"An Indian" by Andrea Cardinali, Eighth Grade
"Europeans Greeted On Shore By Indians" by Michele Ko, Seventh Grade