Here are two parallel stories about people who struggled through both physical discomfort and self-doubt as to the worth of their sacrifice before achieving their final goals. The Aztec wanderers were looking for their promised homeland, and the Pilgrims were seeking a place that would guarantee freedom of thought and life style. Both groups were willing to suffer in order to realize their dreams – the dreams whose fulfillment continues to inspire their descendants down through the course of history.

The Quest For the Eagle: This story is loosely based on the legendary search by the early Aztecs for the site of their homeland, the future city of Tenochtitlan – modern-day Mexico City. Following the prophecy of their god, Huitzilopochtli, the families that are involved here – two brothers and their wives and children – together with the rest of their tribe – have endured life-long hardships in attaining their goal. Their persistence in the face of seemingly endless journeying and constant privation, and their eventual triumph in achieving this promised goal is a tribute to their belief in a supernatural power, and the strength of their desire to provide for a better future for their children. Here again, students are offered the opportunity to portray characters that continued to believe, in spite of physical challenges and personal doubts.

Bound For Plymouth: Have you ever been on a cruise ship, or seen commercials for one on TV? They really make it look like fun, but when the Pilgrims sailed to America back in the 1600s, their voyage was a far cry from enjoyable. Their ship was cold and damp, as well as smelly and leaky, and the rough motion often made the passengers seasick. Most of the passengers lived together on a lower deck with only blankets to divide the cramped space into doubtful privacy. They used buckets for toilets, their food was wormy and almost inedible, and it wasn’t just the animals that had fleas! But they were willing to undergo such discomfort in order that their dearest wish for freedom could become reality. This story enables students to experience – on a smaller scale – what life was like on that historic sea voyage.