Gottlieb Mittelberger was a schoolteacher who left Germany in May of 1750 to make his journey to America. He arrived at the port
of Philadelphia in October of that year, and kept a diary detailing his experience on the journey. Read an excerpt from his firsthand account. After reading the excerpt, briefly compare the man’s account of life on a ship to Avi’s portrayal of it in The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. What are the main differences and similarities between each portrayal? Your response should be about 150 words.
His meticulous account of his sea voyage to the British Atlantic colonies and subsequent experiences in Pennsylvania has become academically notable, due to the scarcity of primary source material concerning several of the issues he details.[3] Such topics include religious practices in colonial Pennsylvania, European passenger fares for children and adults, as well as the nature and consequences of epidemics on colonial-era ships. The work is also noted for its lengthy discussion of sexuality and social mores, including an account of a bigamous threesome and the status of illegitimate children, as evidencing the religious and sexual tolerance of colonial America.
