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156-706: Plymouth Colony (sometimes Plimouth ) was the first permanent English colony in New England from 1620 and the third permanent English colony in America , after Newfoundland and the Jamestown Colony . It was settled by the passengers on the Mayflower at a location that had previously been surveyed and named by Captain John Smith . The settlement served as the capital of the colony and developed as

312-510: A "sense of earthly grandeur and divine purpose". He was later called the "Moses of the Pilgrims", notes historian Jon Meacham . The Pilgrims "believed they had a covenant like the Jewish people of old", writes author Rebecca Fraser . "America was the new Promised Land." In a similar vein, early American writer James Russell Lowell stated, "Next to the fugitives whom Moses led out of Egypt,

468-530: A boy named John Billington became lost for some time in the woods around the colony. It was reported that he was found by the Nausets , the same tribe on Cape Cod from whom the Pilgrims had unwittingly stolen corn seed the prior year upon their first explorations. The colonists organized a party to return Billington to Plymouth, and they agreed to reimburse the Nausets for the corn which they had taken in return for

624-605: A community of their own, or at least be free from the bonds by which the Plymouth colonists were enslaved. A letter addressed to the colonists and signed by thirteen of the merchants recited these facts and urged acceptance of the new comers on the specified terms." The new arrivals were allotted land in the area of the Eel River known as Hobs Hole , which became Wellingsley, a mile south of Plymouth Rock. In September 1623, another ship arrived carrying settlers destined to refound

780-633: A condition outlawing independent English church congregations in Holland. In aggregate, these became the separatists' motivating factors to sail for the New World , which would have the added benefit of being beyond the reach of King James and his bishops. Their desire to travel to America was considered audacious and risky, as previous attempts to settle in North America had failed. Jamestown , founded in 1607, saw most of its settlers die within

936-527: A crew member threw a rope, which Howland managed to grab, and he was safely pulled back on board. The passengers were forced to crouch in semi-darkness below deck. With waves tossing the boat in different directions, men held onto their wives, who themselves held onto their children. Water was soaking everyone and everything above and below deck. In mid-ocean, the ship came close to being totally disabled and might have had to return to England or risk sinking. A storm had so badly damaged its main beam that even

1092-515: A crew of 25 to 30 officers and men, bringing the total aboard to approximately 130. At about 180 tons, she was considered a smaller cargo ship, having traveled mainly between England and Bordeaux with clothing and wine, not an ocean ship. Nor was she in good shape, as she was sold for scrap four years after her Atlantic voyage. She was a high-built craft forward and aft, measuring approximately 100 feet (30 m) in length and about 25 feet (7.6 m) at her widest point. The living quarters for

1248-440: A defensive cannon would be stationed. Also important in choosing the site was the fact that the prior villagers had cleared much of the land, making agriculture relatively easy. Fresh water for the colony was provided by Town Brook and Billington Sea . There are no contemporaneous accounts to verify the legend, but Plymouth Rock is often hailed as the point where the colonists first set foot on their new homeland. The area where

1404-594: A feast which included numerous types of waterfowl, wild turkeys, and fish procured by the colonists, and five deer brought by the Wampanoags. After the departure of Massasoit and his men, Squanto remained in Plymouth to teach the Pilgrims how to survive in New England, such as using dead fish to fertilize the soil. For the first few years of colonial life, the fur trade was the dominant source of income beyond subsistence farming, buying furs from Natives, and selling to Europeans. Governor Carver suddenly died shortly after

1560-467: A formal treaty of peace after exchanging gifts. This treaty ensured that each people would not bring harm to the other, that Massasoit would send his allies to make peaceful negotiations with Plymouth, and that they would come to each other's aid in a time of war. The Mayflower set sail for England on April 5, 1621, after being anchored for almost four months in Plymouth Harbor . Nearly half of

1716-469: A further delay ensued as they awaited favorable winds. The two ships finally set sail on August 23; they traveled only 200 miles (320 km) beyond Land's End before another major leak in the Speedwell forced the expedition to return again to England, this time to the port of Plymouth . The Speedwell was found to be unseaworthy; some passengers abandoned their attempt to emigrate, while others joined

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1872-427: A harsh winter. As a result, only half of the original Pilgrims survived the first winter at Plymouth. If not for the help of local indigenous peoples to teach them food gathering and other survival skills, all of the colonists might have perished. The following year, those 53 who survived celebrated the colony's first fall harvest along with 90 Wampanoag Native American people, an occasion declared in centuries later

2028-408: A house at Wessagussett under the pretense of sharing a meal and making negotiations. Standish and his men then stabbed and killed them. Standish and his men pursued Obtakiest, a local sachem, but he escaped with three prisoners from Wessagussett; he then executed them. Within a short time, Wessagussett was disbanded, and the survivors were integrated into the town of Plymouth. Word quickly spread among

2184-535: A lesser-known disease called leptospirosis . The absence of any serious Indian opposition to the Pilgrims' settlement may have been a pivotal event to their success and to English colonization in America. Popham Colony , also known as Fort St. George, was organized by the Plymouth Company (unrelated to Plymouth Colony) and founded in 1607. It was settled on the coast of Maine and was beset by internal political struggles, sickness, and weather problems. It

2340-590: A letter from the Merchant Adventurers chastising the colony for failure to return goods with the Mayflower that had been promised in return for their support. The Fortune began its return to England laden with £500 worth of goods (equivalent to £78,000 in 2010, or $ 118,799 at PPP ), more than enough to keep the colonists on schedule for repayment of their debt. However, the Fortune was captured by

2496-480: A new colony which he named Providence Plantations in recognition of the intervention of Divine Providence in establishing the new colony. It was unique in its day in expressly providing for religious freedom and separation of church from state. Other dissenters established two settlements on Rhode Island (now called Aquidneck Island ) and another settlement in Warwick ; these four settlements eventually united to form

2652-520: A new start after the repairs, but more than 200 miles (320 km) beyond Land's End at the southwestern tip of England, Speedwell sprang a third leak. It was now early September, and they had no choice but to abandon Speedwell and make a determination on her passengers. This was a dire event, as vital funds had been wasted on the ship, which were considered very important to the future success of their settlement in America. Both ships returned to Plymouth , England, where 20 Speedwell passengers joined

2808-485: A patent to settle this area, and some passengers began to question their right to land, objecting that there was no legal authority to establish a colony and hence no guarantee of retaining ownership over any land that they had improved. In response to this, a group of colonists drafted and signed the Mayflower Compact while still aboard the ship as it lay at anchor, which became the first governing document for

2964-525: A plantation, God works a miracle! Especially considering how scant we shall be of victuals; and, most of all, ununited amongst ourselves, and devoid of good tutors and leaders. Violence will break all. Where is the meek and humble spirit of Moses and of Nehemiah, who re-edified the walls of Jerusalem, and the State of Israel? ... I see not, in reason, how we shall escape, even the gasping of hunger-starved persons: but God can do much; and his will be done!" During

3120-600: A retaliatory raid by Pequot warriors on the town of Wethersfield, Connecticut , where some 30 English settlers were killed. This led to a further retaliation, where a raid led by Captain John Underhill and Captain John Mason burned a Pequot village to the ground in Mystic , killing 300 Pequots. Plymouth Colony had little to do with the actual fighting in the war. When it appeared that the war would resume, four of

3276-554: A self-governing community, they came ashore. The moment the Pilgrims stepped ashore was described by William Bradford, the second Governor of the Plymouth Colony: Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on

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3432-520: A settlement site. They rejected several sites, including one on Clark's Island and another at the mouth of the Jones River , in favor of the site of a recently abandoned settlement which had been occupied by the Patuxet tribe. The location was chosen largely for its defensive position. The settlement would be centered on two hills: Cole's Hill, where the village would be built, and Fort Hill, where

3588-571: A skirmish with Indians known as the "First Encounter" near Eastham, Massachusetts . The colonists decided to look elsewhere, having failed to secure a proper site for their settlement, and fearing that they had angered the Indians by taking their corn and firing upon them. The Mayflower left Provincetown Harbor and set sail for Plymouth Harbor. The Mayflower dropped anchor in Plymouth Harbor on December 16 and spent three days looking for

3744-474: A slave for a group of Spanish monks, then as a freeman in England. He had returned to New England in 1619, acting as a guide to explorer Capt. Robert Gorges , but Massasoit and his men had massacred the crew of the ship and had taken Squanto. Samoset returned to Plymouth on March 22 with a delegation from Massasoit that included Squanto; Massasoit joined them shortly after, and he and Governor Carver established

3900-518: A sought-after destination for Protestant intellectuals. Many of the separatists were illegal members of a church in Nottinghamshire , England, secretly practicing their Puritan form of Protestantism. When they learned that the authorities were aware of their congregation, church members fled in the night with little more than the clothes they were wearing, and clandestinely made it to Holland. Life in Holland became increasingly difficult for

4056-508: A vessel named the Sparrow arrived carrying seven men from the Merchant Adventurers whose purpose was to seek out a site for a new settlement in the area. Two ships followed shortly after carrying 60 settlers, all men. They spent July and August in Plymouth before moving north to settle in Weymouth, Massachusetts , at a settlement which they named Wessagussett . The settlement of Wessagussett

4212-525: Is assumed that they carried tools, food and weapons, as well as some live animals, including dogs, sheep, goats, and poultry. The ship also held two small 21-foot (6 m) boats powered by oars or sails. There were also artillery pieces aboard, which they might need to defend themselves against enemy European forces or indigenous tribes. On November 19, 1620 [ O.S. November 9, 1620], they sighted present-day Cape Cod . They spent several days trying to sail south to their planned destination of

4368-544: Is estimated that the entire population of the colony at the point of its dissolution was around 7,000. For comparison, it is estimated that more than 20,000 settlers had arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony between 1630 and 1640 (a period known as the Great Migration ), and the population of all New England was estimated to be about 60,000 by 1678. Plymouth was the first colony in the region, but it

4524-709: The Brownist Emigration, who came to be known as the Pilgrims . The colony established a treaty with Wampanoag Chief Massasoit which helped to ensure its success; in this, they were aided by Squanto , a member of the Patuxet tribe. Plymouth played a central role in King Philip's War (1675–1678), one of several Indian Wars , but the colony was ultimately merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other territories in 1691 to form

4680-573: The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations . Thomas Hooker left Massachusetts in 1636 with 100 followers and founded a settlement just north of the Dutch Fort Hoop which grew into Connecticut Colony . The community was first named Newtown then renamed Hartford to honor the English town of Hertford . One of the reasons why Hooker left Massachusetts Bay was that only members of

4836-458: The Colony of Virginia , where they had obtained permission to settle from the Company of Merchant Adventurers. But the strong winter seas forced them to return to the harbor at Cape Cod hook, known today as Provincetown Harbor , and they set anchor on November 21 [ O.S. November 11]. It was before setting anchor that the male Pilgrims and non-Pilgrim passengers (whom members of

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4992-633: The Company of Merchant Adventurers of London , and he eventually traveled to the Plymouth Colony himself. Three of Mayflower ' s owners applied to the Admiralty court for an appraisal of the ship on May 4, 1624, two years after Captain Jones's death in 1622; one of these applicants was Jones's widow, Mrs. Josian (Joan) Jones. This appraisal probably was made to determine the valuation of

5148-607: The Connecticut River as far as Hartford, Connecticut . By 1623, the Dutch West India Company regularly traded for furs there, and they eventually fortified it for protection from the Pequot Indians and named the site "House of Hope" (also identified as " Fort Hoop ," "Good Hope," and "Hope"). A group of Puritans commonly called the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower from England and

5304-666: The London Company . The Plymouth Company ships arrived at the bay of the Kennebec River (then called the Sagadahoc River) in August 1607 where they established a settlement named Sagadahoc Colony, better known as Popham Colony (see symbol "Po" on map to right) to honor financial backer Sir John Popham . The colonists faced a harsh winter, the loss of supplies following a storehouse fire, and mixed relations with

5460-409: The Mayflower returned to England. William Bradford was elected to replace him and went on to lead the colony through much of its formative years. As promised by Massasoit, numerous Natives arrived at Plymouth throughout the middle of 1621 with pledges of peace. On July 2, a party of Pilgrims led by Edward Winslow (who later became the chief diplomat of the colony) set out to continue negotiations with

5616-436: The Mayflower , crowding the already heavily burdened ship. Later, it was speculated that the crew of the Speedwell had intentionally sabotaged the ship to avoid having to make the treacherous trans-Atlantic voyage. The delays had significant consequences; the cost of the repairs and port fees required that the colonists sell some of their vital provisions. More importantly, the late-autumn voyage meant that everyone had to spend

5772-464: The Mayflower . It remained with the Pilgrims when the Mayflower returned to England. On November 15, Captain Myles Standish led a party of 16 men on an exploratory mission, during which they disturbed an Indian grave and located a buried cache of Indian corn. The following week, Susanna White gave birth to son Peregrine White on the Mayflower . He was the first child born to the Pilgrims in

5928-707: The Mayflower Barn , located within the grounds of Old Jordan in South Buckinghamshire. In 1624, Thomas Russell supposedly added timbers from a ship to a farmhouse. They were bought from a shipbreaker's yard in Rotherhithe and believed to be from the Pilgrim ship Mayflower . The well-preserved structure became a tourist attraction, receiving visitors from all over the world, particularly from America, but it later became privately owned and closed to

6084-471: The Narragansett Bay and completely omitted most of the New England coast. European fishermen had also been plying the waters off the New England coast for much of the 16th and 17th centuries. Frenchman Samuel de Champlain had explored the area extensively in 1605. He had specifically explored Plymouth Harbor , which he called "Port St. Louis", and he made an extensive and detailed map of it and

6240-528: The New World in 1620. After 10 weeks at sea, Mayflower , with 102 passengers and a crew of about 30, reached what is today the United States, dropping anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts , on November 21 [ O.S. November 11], 1620. Differing from their contemporary Puritans (who sought to reform and purify the Church of England ), the Pilgrims chose to separate themselves from

6396-767: The Pequot War (1636–1638) and King Philip's War (1675–1678), were sometimes sold into slavery. Utilizing captured prisoners of war as a source of forced labor was common in Europe; during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms , prisoners of war were frequently indentured and transported to plantations in Barbados and Jamaica . Plymouth Colony ranger Benjamin Church spoke out against the practice of enslaving Indians in

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6552-548: The Province of Massachusetts Bay . Despite the colony's relatively short existence, Plymouth holds a special role in American history. The social and legal systems of the colony became closely tied to their religious beliefs, as well as to English custom. Plymouth Colony was founded by a group of Brownists (a sect of English Protestant dissenters ) who came to be known as the Pilgrims . The core group (roughly 40 percent of

6708-878: The Speedwell in July 1620 in the Dutch port of Delfshaven . Speedwell was re-rigged with larger masts before leaving Holland and setting out to meet Mayflower in Southampton, England , around the end of July 1620. The Mayflower was purchased in London. The original captains were Captain Reynolds for Speedwell and Captain Christopher Jones for Mayflower . Other passengers joined the group in Southampton, including William Brewster, who had been in hiding for

6864-565: The restoration of the monarchy , the English government considered the Boston mint to be treasonous. However, the colony ignored the English demands to cease operations until at least 1682, when Hull's contract expired as mint master, and the colony did not move to renew his contract or appoint a new mint master. The coinage was a contributing factor to the revocation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony charter in 1684. American Indians who were captured during various conflicts in New England, such as

7020-416: The 102 passengers were cramped, with the living area about 20 by 80 feet (6 by 24 m) or 1,600 square feet (150 m ) and the ceiling about five feet (1.5 m) high. With couples and children packed closely together for a trip lasting two months, a great deal of trust and confidence was required among everyone aboard. John Carver , one of the leaders on the ship, often inspired the Pilgrims with

7176-479: The 1620s. A larger group of Puritans arrived in 1630, leaving England because they desired to worship in a manner that differed from the Church of England. Their views were in accord with those of the Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower , except that the Mayflower Pilgrims felt that they needed to separate themselves from the Church of England, whereas the later Puritans were content to remain under

7332-586: The Atlantic coast where there was an abundance of marketable sea life. Excellent harbors and some inland waterways offered protection for ships and were also valuable for freshwater fishing. By the end of the 17th century, New England colonists had created an Atlantic trade network that connected them to the English homeland as well as to the Slave Coast of West Africa , plantations in the West Indies, and

7488-476: The Bible for themselves. Depending upon social and financial status, education was taught by the parents home-schooling their children, public grammar schools, and private governesses, which included subjects from reading and writing to Latin and Greek and more. Mayflower Mayflower was an English sailing ship that transported a group of English families, known today as the Pilgrims , from England to

7644-769: The Church of England, which forced them to pray in private. They believed that its resistance to reform and Roman Catholic past left it beyond redemption. Starting in 1608, a group of English families left England for the Netherlands, where they could worship freely. By 1620, the community determined to cross the Atlantic for America, which they considered a "new Promised Land ", where they would establish Plymouth Colony . The Pilgrims had originally hoped to reach America by early October using two ships, but delays and complications meant they could use only one, Mayflower . Arriving in November, they had to survive unprepared through

7800-527: The Colony of Virginia. The passengers mostly slept and lived in the low-ceilinged great cabins and on the main deck, which was 20 by 75 feet (6 by 23 m) large at most. The cabins were thin-walled and extremely cramped, and the total area was 15 by 25 feet (4.5 by 7.5 m) at its largest. Below decks, any person over five feet (150 cm) tall would be unable to stand up straight. The maximum possible space for each person would have been slightly less than

7956-738: The Dutch Army. They also were still not free from the persecutions of the English Crown. English authorities came to Leiden to arrest William Brewster in 1618 after he published comments highly critical of the King of England and the Anglican Church . Brewster escaped arrest, but the events spurred the congregation to move farther from England. The congregation obtained a land patent from the Plymouth Company in June 1619. They had declined

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8112-579: The Dutch in settling the area. Other tribes in the area sided with the English, including the Narragansetts and Mohegans , who were the traditional enemies of the Pequots. The event that sparked formal hostilities was the capture of a boat and the murder of captain John Oldham in 1636, an event blamed on allies of the Pequots. In April 1637, a raid on a Pequot village by John Endicott led to

8268-707: The French before she could deliver her cargo to England, creating an even larger deficit for the colony. In July 1623, two more ships arrived: the Anne under the command of Captain "Master" William Peirce and Master John Bridges, and the Little James under the command of Captain Emanuel Altham. These ships carried 96 new settlers, among them Leideners, including William Bradford 's future wife Alice and William and Mary Brewster's daughters Patience and Fear. Some of

8424-425: The Iberian Peninsula. Colonists relied upon British and European imports for glass, linens, hardware, machinery, and other items for the household. The Southern Colonies could produce tobacco, rice, and indigo in exchange for imports, whereas New England's colonies could not offer much to England beyond fish, furs, and lumber. Inflation was a major issue in the economy. During the 18th century, shipbuilding drew upon

8580-417: The Indians are run away from their habitations". The only positive effect of Standish's raid seemed to be the increased power of the Massasoit-led Wampanoag tribe, the Pilgrims' closest ally in the region. A second ship arrived in November 1621 named the Fortune , sent by the Merchant Adventurers one year after the Pilgrims first set foot in New England. It arrived with 37 new settlers for Plymouth. However,

8736-557: The Indigenous tribes of Standish's attack; many Natives abandoned their villages and fled the area. As noted by Philbrick: "Standish's raid had irreparably damaged the human ecology of the region ... It was some time before a new equilibrium came to the region." Edward Winslow reports in his 1624 memoirs Good News from New England that "they forsook their houses, running to and fro like men distracted, living in swamps and other desert places, and so brought manifold diseases amongst themselves, whereof very many are dead". The Pilgrims lost

8892-420: The Merchant Adventurers to act as shipboard governor during the trans-Atlantic trip; and Stephen Hopkins , a veteran of a failed colonial venture that may have inspired Shakespeare 's The Tempest . The group who later became the Leiden Leaders after the merging of ships included John Carver, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, William Brewster, and Isaac Allerton. The departure of the Mayflower and Speedwell

9048-424: The Netherlands to establish Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, the second successful English colony in America following Jamestown, Virginia . About half of the 102 passengers on the Mayflower died that first winter, mostly because of diseases contracted on the voyage followed by a harsh winter. In 1621, an Indian named Squanto taught the colonists how to grow corn and where to catch eels and fish. His assistance

9204-444: The Netherlands, settling first in Amsterdam and then in Leiden . In Leiden, the congregation gained the freedom to worship as they chose, but Dutch society was unfamiliar to them. Scrooby had been an agricultural community, whereas Leiden was a thriving industrial center, and they found the pace of life difficult. The community remained close-knit, but their children began adopting the Dutch language and customs, and some also entered

9360-430: The New England colonies (Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut , New Haven , and Plymouth) formed a defensive compact known as the United Colonies of New England . Edward Winslow was already known for his diplomatic skills, and he was the chief architect of the United Colonies. His experience in the United Provinces of the Netherlands during the Leiden years was key to organizing the confederation. John Adams later considered

9516-455: The New World. The shallop was finished on November 27, and a second expedition was undertaken using it, under the direction of Mayflower master Christopher Jones . Thirty-four men went, but the expedition was beset by bad weather; the only positive result was that they found an Indian burial ground and corn that had been intended for the dead, taking the corn for future planting. A third expedition along Cape Cod left on December 6; it resulted in

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9672-568: The North Atlantic into a dangerous place to sail. Mayflower ' s provisions were already quite low when departing Southampton, and they became lower still by delays of more than a month. The passengers had been on board the ship this entire time, feeling worn out and in no condition for a very taxing, lengthy Atlantic journey cooped up in the cramped spaces of a small ship. When Mayflower sailed from Plymouth alone on September 16 [ O.S. September 6], 1620, with what Bradford called "a prosperous wind", she carried 102 passengers plus

9828-448: The North Atlantic off Spitsbergen or sailed to Mediterranean ports. After 1616, no further record specifically relates to Jones's Mayflower until 1624. This is unusual for a ship trading to London, as it would not usually disappear from the records for such a long time. No Admiralty court document can be found relating to the pilgrim fathers' voyage of 1620. Some of the records of the period might have been lost, or this might be due to

9984-419: The Pilgrim Fathers first set foot December, 1620 upon a bare rock on the bleak coast of Massachusetts Bay, while all around the earth was covered with deep snow ... Dreary, indeed, was the prospect before them. Exposure and privations had prostrated one half of the men before the first blow of the ax had been struck to build a habitation. ... One by one perished. The governor and his wife died in April 1621; and on

10140-439: The Pilgrims were not accustomed to winter weather which was much colder than back home. They were forced to spend the night ashore because of the bad weather they encountered, ill-clad in below-freezing temperatures with wet shoes and stockings that froze overnight. Bradford wrote, "Some of our people that are dead took the original of their death here" on the expedition. Plymouth faced many difficulties during its first winter,

10296-406: The Plymouth Company) established a small fishing village at Cape Ann under the supervision of the Dorchester Company . The first group of Puritans moved to a new town at nearby Naumkeag after the Dorchester Company dropped support, and fresh financial support was found by Rev. John White. Other settlements were started in nearby areas; however, the overall Puritan population remained small through

10452-486: The Port Books of 1609–11 as "of Harwich " in the county of Essex , coincidentally the birthplace of Mayflower master Christopher Jones about 1570. Records dating from August 1609 note Christopher Jones as master and part owner of Mayflower when his ship was chartered for a voyage from London to Trondheim in Norway and back to London. The ship lost an anchor on her return in bad weather, and she made short delivery of her cargo of herring. Litigation resulted, and this

10608-419: The United Colonies to be the prototype for the Articles of Confederation , which was the first attempt at a national American government. Metacomet was the younger son of Massasoit and the heir of Massasoit's position as sachem of the Pokanokets and supreme leader of the Wampanoags. He was known to the colonists as Philip, and he became sachem upon the sudden death of his older brother Wamsutta in 1662, who

10764-469: The abundant lumber and revived the economy, often under the direction of the British Crown. In 1652, the Massachusetts General Court authorized Boston silversmith John Hull to produce local coinage in shilling, sixpence, and threepence denominations to address a coin shortage in the colony. The colony's economy had been entirely dependent on barter and foreign currency, including English, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, and counterfeit coins. In 1661, after

10920-437: The adults and 56 percent of the family groupings) were part of a congregation led in America by William Bradford and William Brewster . They began to feel the pressures of religious persecution while still in the English village of Scrooby , near East Retford , Nottinghamshire. In 1607, Archbishop Tobias Matthew raided homes and imprisoned several members of the congregation. The congregation left England in 1608 and moved to

11076-517: The age of fourteen years should reside in the colony." Margret Ellen Newell estimates that hundreds of Indians were enslaved during the colonial conflicts, while Nathaniel Philbrick estimates that at least 1,000 New England Indians were sold into slavery during King Philip's War, with more than half coming from Plymouth. In the New England Colonies, the first settlements of Pilgrims and the other Puritans who came later taught their children how to read and write in order that they might read and study

11232-451: The analogy of the ancient Israelites leaving Babylon to escape bondage by returning to Jerusalem, where they would build their temple. "The Pilgrims and Puritans actually referred to themselves as God's New Israel", writes Peter Marshall. It was therefore considered the destiny of the Pilgrims and Puritans to similarly build a "spiritual Jerusalem" in America. When it was time to leave, the ship's senior leader, Edward Winslow , described

11388-502: The appraisal indicates. The vessel was valued at one hundred and twenty-eight pounds , eight shillings , and fourpence . What finally became of Mayflower is an unsettled issue. Charles Edward Banks, an English historian of the Pilgrim ship, claims that the ship was finally broken up, with her timbers used in the construction of a barn at Jordans village in Buckinghamshire . Tradition claims that this barn still exists as

11544-410: The authority of the King of France. Nearly half the settlers perished due to the harsh winter and scurvy , and the survivors moved north out of New England to Port-Royal of Nova Scotia (see symbol "R" on map to the right) in the spring of 1605. King James I of England recognized the need for a permanent settlement in New England, and he granted competing royal charters to the Plymouth Company and

11700-464: The beginning, the assistance they received from the local Native Americans was vital. One colonist's journal reported, "We dug and found some more corn, two or three baskets full, and a bag of beans. ... In all we had about ten bushels, which will be enough for seed. It is with God's help that we found this corn, for how else could we have done it, without meeting some Indians who might trouble us." Governor Bradford held out hope: Friends, if ever we make

11856-587: The better part of a year, and a group of people known to the Leiden congregation as "The Strangers." This group was largely made up of people recruited by the Merchant Adventurers to provide practical assistance to the colony and additional hands to work for the colony's ventures. The term was also used for many of the indentured servants . Among the Strangers were Myles Standish , who was the colony's military leader; Christopher Martin , who had been designated by

12012-584: The boy. This negotiation did much to secure further peace with the tribes in the area. During their dealings with the Nausets over the release of John Billington, the Pilgrims learned of troubles that Massasoit was experiencing. Massasoit, Squanto, and several other Wampanoags had been captured by Corbitant , sachem of the Narragansett tribe. A party of ten men under the leadership of Myles Standish set out to find and execute Corbitant. While hunting for him, they learned that Squanto had escaped and Massasoit

12168-415: The building progressed, 20 men always remained ashore for security purposes while the rest of the work crews returned each night to the Mayflower . Women, children, and the infirm remained on board the Mayflower , and many had not left the ship for six months. The first structure was a common house of wattle and daub , and it took two weeks to complete in the harsh New England winter. In the following weeks,

12324-418: The chief. The delegation also included Squanto, who acted as a translator. After traveling for several days, they arrived at Massasoit's village of Sowams near Narragansett Bay . After meals and an exchange of gifts, Massasoit agreed to an exclusive trading pact with the Plymouth colonists. Squanto remained behind and traveled throughout the area to establish trading relations with several tribes. In late July,

12480-542: The church could vote and participate in the government, which he believed should include any adult male owning property. He obtained a royal charter and established Fundamental Orders , considered to be one of the first constitutions in America. Other colonies later merged into the royal charter for the Connecticut Colony, including New Haven Colony and Saybrook Colony . The earliest colonies in New England were usually fishing villages or farming communities on

12636-564: The colonial adult male population is estimated to have died during the war, a rather large percentage by most standards. The impact on the Native Americans was far higher, however. So many were killed, fled, or shipped off as slaves that the entire Indigenous population of New England fell by 60 to 80 percent. New England Colonies In 1616, Captain John Smith authored A Description of New England , which first applied

12792-404: The colonists settled had been identified as "New Plymouth" in maps which John Smith published in 1614. The colonists elected to retain the name for their own settlement, in honor of their final point of departure from Plymouth, Devon . On December 21, 1620, the first landing party arrived at the site of Plymouth . Plans to build houses, however, were delayed by bad weather until December 23. As

12948-409: The colony should be governed by "just and equal laws," and those who signed it promised to keep those laws. The group remained on board the ship through the next day for prayer and worship, as it was a Sunday. They finally set foot on land at Provincetown on November 13. The first task was to rebuild a shallop , a shallow draft boat that had been built in England and disassembled for transport aboard

13104-461: The colony. The intent of the compact was to establish a means of governing the colony, though it did little more than confirm that the colony would be governed like any English town. It did, however, serve the purpose of relieving the property concerns of many of the settlers. This social contract was written and signed by 41 male passengers . It was modeled on the church covenants that Congregationalists used to form new congregations. It made clear that

13260-516: The coming winter on board the Mayflower off Cape Cod in increasingly squalid conditions. The Mayflower departed Plymouth , England , on September 6, 1620, with 102 passengers and about 30 crew members in the small, 106 feet (32 m) long ship. The seas were not severe during the first month in the Atlantic but, by the second month, the ship was being hit by strong north-Atlantic winter gales, causing it to be badly shaken with water leaks from structural damage. There were many obstacles throughout

13416-449: The community together, it was revolutionary by chance. Author Rebecca Fraser On Monday, December 7 [ O.S. November 27], an exploring expedition was launched under the direction of Capt. Christopher Jones to search for a suitable settlement site. There were 34 persons in the open small boat: 24 passengers and 10 sailors. They were ill-prepared for the bitter winter weather which they encountered on their reconnoiter, as

13572-495: The congregation referred to as "Strangers") drew up and signed the Mayflower Compact . Among the resolutions in the Compact were those establishing legal order and meant to quell increasing strife within the ranks. Myles Standish was selected to make sure the rules were obeyed, as there was a consensus that discipline would need to be enforced to ensure the survival of the planned colony. Once they agreed to settle and build

13728-456: The congregation. They were forced into menial and backbreaking jobs, such as cleaning wool, which led to a variety of health afflictions. In addition, a number of the country's leading theologians began engaging in open debates which led to civil unrest , instilling the fear that Spain might again place Holland's population under siege, as it had done years earlier. England's James I subsequently formed an alliance with Holland against Spain, with

13884-421: The early 17th century, with the French constructing Fort Pentagouet near Castine, Maine in 1613. The fort protected a trading post and a fishing station and was the first longer-term settlement in New England. It changed hands multiple times throughout the 17th century among the English, French, and Dutch colonists. In 1614, Dutch explorer Adriaen Block traveled along the coast of Long Island Sound and then up

14040-401: The failed colony at Weymouth, and they stayed temporarily in Plymouth. In March 1624, a ship arrived bearing a few additional settlers and the first cattle. A 1627 division of cattle lists 156 colonists divided into twelve lots of thirteen colonists each. Another ship arrived in August 1629, also named the Mayflower , with 35 additional members of the Leiden congregation. Ships arrived throughout

14196-468: The failure of the Church of England to reform what they felt were many excesses and abuses. But rather than work for change in England (as other Puritans did), they chose to live as Separatists in religiously tolerant Holland in 1608. As separatists, they were considered illegal radicals by their home country of England. The government of Leiden was recognized for offering financial aid to reformed churches, whether English, French or German, which made it

14352-524: The financing secured from the Merchant Adventurers, the Colonists bought provisions and obtained passage on the Mayflower and the Speedwell . They had intended to leave early in 1620, but they were delayed several months due to difficulties in dealing with the Merchant Adventurers, including several changes in plans for the voyage and financing. The congregation and the other colonists finally boarded

14508-523: The firm and stable earth, their proper element. Plymouth Colony was the first experiment in consensual government in Western history between individuals with one another, and not with a monarch. The colony was a mutual enterprise, not an imperial expedition organized by the Spanish or English governments. In order to survive, it depended on the consent of the colonists themselves. Necessary in order to bind

14664-563: The first American Thanksgiving . Before disembarking on the Mayflower , the Pilgrims wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact , an agreement that established a rudimentary government, in which each member would contribute to the safety and welfare of the planned settlement. As one of the earliest colonial vessels, the ship has become a cultural icon in the history of the United States. A congregation of approximately 400 English Protestants living in exile in Leiden , Holland, were dissatisfied with

14820-611: The first of that month, forty-six of the one hundred emigrants were in their graves, nineteen of whom were signers of the Mayflower Compact. Jones had originally planned to return to England as soon as the Pilgrims found a settlement site. But his crew members began to be ravaged by the same diseases that were felling the Pilgrims, and he realized that he had to remain in Plymouth Harbor "till he saw his men began to recover." Mayflower lay in New Plymouth harbor through

14976-498: The first year. 440 of the 500 new arrivals died of starvation during the first six months of winter. The Puritan separatists also learned of the constant threat of attacks by indigenous peoples. But despite all the arguments against traveling to this new land, their conviction that God wanted them to go held sway: "We verily believe and trust the Lord is with us," they wrote, "and that he will graciously prosper our indeavours, according to

15132-420: The gallant little craft slipped out to sea. In proportion to her cubic feet of space, no heavier cargo had ever been shipped across the Atlantic. The entirety of a new church, a new commonwealth, a new nation, all of which were to bless the world, were confined within the limits of Mayflower's hold. The course of empire was moving westward indeed. Rev. E. W. Bishop In early September, western gales turned

15288-400: The little shipload of outcasts who landed at Plymouth are destined to influence the future of the world." The first half of the voyage proceeded over calm seas and under pleasant skies. Then the weather changed, with continuous northeasterly storms hurling themselves against the ship, and huge waves constantly crashing against the topside deck. In the midst of one storm, William Butten ,

15444-551: The local Indian tribes. Colony leader Captain George Popham died, and decided to return to England to take up an inheritance left by an older brother— at which point, all of the colonists decided to return to England. It was around August 1608 when they left on the ship Mary and John and on a new ship built by the colony named Virginia of Sagadahoc . The 30-ton Virginia was the first sea-going ship ever built in North America. Conflict over land rights continued through

15600-479: The men were too infirm to work; 45 out of 102 pilgrims died and were buried on Cole's Hill . Thus, only seven residences and four common houses were constructed during the first winter out of a planned 19. By the end of January, enough of the settlement had been built to begin unloading provisions from the Mayflower . The men of the settlement organized themselves into military orders in mid-February, after several tense encounters with local Indians, and Myles Standish

15756-444: The midst of the settlement and proclaimed, "Welcome, Englishmen!" It was during this meeting that the Pilgrims learned how the previous residents of Patuxet had died of an epidemic. They also learned that an important leader of the region was Wampanoag Indian chief Massasoit , and they learned about Squanto (Tisquantum) who was the sole survivor from Patuxet. Squanto had spent time in Europe and spoke English quite well. Samoset spent

15912-578: The more fertile land along the rivers. The rocky soil in the New England Colonies was not as fertile as the Middle or Southern Colonies, but the land provided rich resources, including lumber that was highly valued. Lumber was also a resource that could be exported back to England, where there was a shortage of wood. In addition, the hunting of wildlife provided furs to be traded and food for the table. The New England Colonies were located along

16068-403: The most notable being the risk of starvation and the lack of suitable shelter. The Pilgrims had no way of knowing that the ground would be frozen by the middle of November, making it impossible to do any planting. Nor were they prepared for the snow storms that would make the countryside impassable without snowshoes. And in their haste to leave, they did not think to bring any fishing rods. From

16224-448: The murder. Philip had already begun war preparations at his home base near Mount Hope where he started raiding English farms and pillaging their property. In response, Governor Josiah Winslow called out the militia, and they organized and began to move on Philip's position. Philip's men attacked unarmed women and children in order to receive a ransom. One such attack resulted in the capture of Mary Rowlandson . The war continued through

16380-470: The name Mayflower in the Port Books of England during the reign of James I (1603–1625); it is not known why the name was so popular. The identity of Captain Jones's Mayflower is based on records from her home port, her known tonnage (est. 180–200 tons), and the master's name. It is not known when and where Mayflower was built, although late records designate her as "of London". She was designated in

16536-434: The necessary travel supplies. The congregation therefore decided that the younger and stronger members should go first, with others possibly following in the future. Although the congregation had been led by John Robinson , who first proposed the idea of emigrating to America, he chose to remain in Leiden to care for those who could not make the voyage. In explaining to his congregation why they should emigrate, Robinson used

16692-421: The night in Plymouth and agreed to arrange a meeting with some of Massasoit's men. Massasoit and Squanto were apprehensive about the Pilgrims, as several men of his tribe had been killed by English sailors. He also knew that the Pilgrims had taken some corn stores in their landings at Provincetown. Squanto himself had been abducted in 1614 by English explorer Thomas Hunt and had spent five years in Europe, first as

16848-445: The now overcrowded Mayflower , while the others returned to Holland. They waited for seven more days until the wind picked up. William Bradford was especially worried: "We lie here waiting for as fair a wind as can blow... Our victuals will be half eaten up, I think, before we go from the coast of England; and, if our voyage last long, we shall not have a month's victuals when we come in the country." According to Bradford, Speedwell

17004-631: The opportunity to settle south of Cape Cod in New Netherland because of their desire to avoid the Dutch influence. This land patent allowed them to settle at the mouth of the Hudson River . They sought to finance their venture through the Merchant Adventurers , a group of businessmen who principally viewed the colony as a means of making a profit. Upon arriving in America, the Pilgrims began working to repay their debts. Using

17160-409: The original 102 passengers had died during the first winter. As William Bradford wrote, "of these one hundred persons who came over in this first ship together, the greatest half died in the general mortality, and most of them in two or three months' time". Several of the graves on Cole's Hill were uncovered in 1855; their bodies were disinterred and moved to a site near Plymouth Rock. In November 1621,

17316-438: The passengers decided to return north to Cape Cod Bay and abandon their original landing plans. The Pilgrims were not the first Europeans in the area. John Cabot 's discovery of Newfoundland in 1497 had laid the foundation for the extensive English claims over the east coast of America. Cartographer Giacomo Gastaldi made one of the earliest maps of New England c.  1540 , but he erroneously identified Cape Breton with

17472-523: The passengers who arrived on the Anne were either unprepared for frontier life or undesirable additions to the colony, and they returned to England the next year. According to Gleason Archer, "those who remained were not willing to join the colony under the terms of the agreement with the Merchant Adventurers. They had embarked for America upon an understanding with the Adventurers that they might settle in

17628-428: The period between 1629 and 1630 carrying new settlers, though the exact number is unknown; contemporaneous documents indicate that the colony had almost 300 people by January 1630. In 1643, the colony had an estimated 600 males fit for military service, implying a total population of about 2,000. The estimated total population of Plymouth County was 3,055 by 1690, on the eve of the colony's merger with Massachusetts Bay. It

17784-569: The pilgrims celebrated a feast of thanksgiving which became known in the 19th century as "The First Thanksgiving ". The feast was probably held in early October 1621 and was celebrated by the 53 surviving Pilgrims, along with Massasoit and 90 of his men. Three contemporaneous accounts of the event survive: Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford, Mourt's Relation probably written by Edward Winslow, and New England's Memorial by Plymouth Colony Secretary (and Bradford's nephew) Capt. Nathaniel Morton . The celebration lasted three days and featured

17940-428: The planned rendezvous on July 22 with the Speedwell , coming from Holland with members of the Leiden congregation. Although both ships planned to depart for America by the end of July, a leak was discovered on Speedwell , which had to be repaired. The ships set sail for America around August 5, but Speedwell sprang another leak shortly after, which necessitated the ships' return to Dartmouth for repairs. They made

18096-463: The rest of 1675 and into the next year. The colonists were constantly frustrated by the Native Americans' refusal to meet them in pitched battle. They employed a form of guerrilla warfare that confounded the English. Captain Benjamin Church continuously campaigned to enlist the help of friendly Native Americans to help learn how to fight on an even footing with Philip's warrior bands, but he

18252-408: The rest of the settlement slowly took shape. The living and working structures were built on the relatively flat top of Cole's Hill, and a wooden platform was constructed atop nearby Fort Hill to support the cannon that would defend the settlement. During the winter, the Mayflower colonists suffered greatly from lack of shelter, diseases such as scurvy , and general conditions on board ship. Many of

18408-561: The return trip home. She arrived in London on May 16 [ O.S. May 6], 1621, less than half the time that it had taken her to sail to America. Some families traveled together, while some men came alone, leaving families in England and Leiden. More than a third of the passengers were Separatists who sought to break away from the established Church of England and create a society that incorporated their own religious ideals. Other passengers were hired hands, servants, or farmers recruited by London merchants, all originally destined for

18564-411: The sailors despaired. By a stroke of luck, one of the colonists had a metal jackscrew that he had purchased in Holland to help in the construction of the new settler homes. They used it to secure the beam, which kept it from cracking further, thus maintaining the seaworthiness of the vessel. The ship's cargo included many essential stores the Pilgrims would need for their journey and future lives. It

18720-706: The scene of families being separated at the departure: "A flood of tears was poured out. Those not sailing accompanied us to the ship, but were not able to speak to one another for the abundance of sorrow before parting." William Bradford , another leader who would be the second governor of the Plymouth Colony, similarly described the departure: Truly doleful was the sight of that sad and mournful parting. To see what sighs and sobs and prayers did sound among them; what tears did gush from every eye, and pithy speeches pierced each heart...their Reverend Pastor, falling down on his knees, and they all with him... The trip to

18876-509: The second winter, he helped design and organize the construction of a large palisade wall surrounding the settlement. Standish led two early military raids on Indian villages: the raid to find and punish Corbitant for his attempted coup, and the killing at Wessagussett called "Standish's raid". The former had the desired effect of gaining the respect of the local Indians; the latter only served to frighten and scatter them, resulting in loss of trade and income. The first major war in New England

19032-537: The settlers of the town. The proximate cause of the conflict was the death of a Praying Indian named John Sassamon in 1675. Sassamon had been an advisor and friend to Philip; however, Sassamon's conversion to Christianity had driven the two apart. Accused in the murder of Sassamon were some of Philip's most senior lieutenants. A jury of twelve Englishmen and six Praying Indians found the Native Americans guilty of murder and sentenced them to death. To this day, some debate exists whether King Philip's men actually committed

19188-523: The ship had arrived unexpectedly and also without many supplies, so the additional settlers put a strain on the resources of the colony. Among the passengers of the Fortune were several of the original Leiden congregation, including William Brewster 's son Jonathan, Edward Winslow's brother John, and Philip Delano (the family name was earlier "de la Noye") whose descendants include President Franklin Delano Roosevelt . The Fortune also carried

19344-578: The ship to settle the estate of its late master. The appraisal was made by four mariners and shipwrights of Rotherhithe (the home and burial place of Captain Jones), where Mayflower apparently was then lying in the Thames at London. The appraisement is extant and provides information on ship's gear on board at that time, as well as equipment such as muskets and other arms. The ship may have been laid up following Jones's death and allowed to get out of repair, as

19500-546: The simplicity of our hearts therein." After deciding to leave Holland, they planned to cross the Atlantic using two purchased ships. A small ship with the name Speedwell would first carry them from Leiden to England. The larger Mayflower would then be used to transport most of the passengers and supplies the rest of the way. Not all of the Separatists were able to depart, as many did not have enough time to settle their affairs and their budgets were too meager to buy

19656-418: The site as "New Plimouth." In the Mayflower settlers' first explorations of Cape Cod, they came across evidence that Europeans had previously spent extensive time there. They discovered remains of a European fort and uncovered a grave that contained the remains of both an adult European male and an Indian child. The Mayflower anchored at Provincetown Harbor on November 11, 1620. The Pilgrims did not have

19812-429: The size of a modern-day single bed . Passengers passed the time by reading by candlelight or playing cards and games. They consumed large amounts of alcohol such as beer with meals. This was known to be safer than water, which often came from polluted sources and caused disease. No cattle or beasts of draft or burden were brought on the journey, but there were pigs, goats, and poultry. There were 26 vessels bearing

19968-520: The south coast of England took three days, where the ship took anchor at Southampton on August 5 [ O.S. July 26], 1620. From there, the Pilgrims first laid eyes on their larger ship, Mayflower , as it was being loaded with provisions. Carrying about 65 passengers, Mayflower left London in mid-July 1620. The ship then proceeded down the Thames to the south coast of England, where it anchored at Southampton, Hampshire. There she waited for

20124-577: The summer of 1675, describing the practice as "an action so hateful... that [I] opposed it to the loss of the goodwill and respect of some that before were good friends." However, Church was not opposed to black slavery , owning black slaves like many of his fellow colonists. During King Philip's War, some captured Indians were enslaved and transported aboard New England merchant ships to the West Indies , where they were sold to European planters. Various colonial councils decreed that "no male captive above

20280-532: The surrounding lands. He showed the Patuxet village (where the town of Plymouth was later built) as a thriving settlement. However, an epidemic wiped out up to 90 percent of the Indians along the Massachusetts coast in 1617–1619, including the Patuxets, before the arrival of the Mayflower . The epidemic has traditionally been thought to be smallpox, but a recent analysis has concluded that it may have been

20436-479: The term " New England " to the coastal lands from Long Island Sound in the south to Newfoundland in the north. England, France, and the Netherlands made several attempts to colonize New England early in the 17th century, and those nations were often in contention over lands in the New World. French nobleman Pierre Dugua Sieur de Monts established a settlement on Saint Croix Island, Maine in June 1604 under

20592-600: The third expedition, during which Standish fired the first recorded shot by the Pilgrim settlers in an event known as the First Encounter. Standish had training in military engineering from the University of Leiden , and it was he who decided the defensive layout of the settlement when they finally arrived at Plymouth. He also organized the able-bodied men into military orders in February of the first winter. During

20748-420: The town of Plymouth, Massachusetts . At its height, Plymouth Colony occupied most of what is now the southeastern portion of Massachusetts . Many of the people and events surrounding Plymouth Colony have become part of American folklore , including the American tradition of Thanksgiving and the monument of Plymouth Rock . Plymouth Colony was founded by a group of Protestant Separatists initially known as

20904-474: The trade in furs which they had enjoyed with the local tribes, and which was their main source of income for paying off their debts to the Merchant Adventurers. Rather than strengthening their position, Standish's raid had disastrous consequences for the colony, as attested by William Bradford in a letter to the Merchant Adventurers: "we had much damaged our trade, for there where we had most skins

21060-568: The trip, including multiple cases of seasickness and the bending and cracking of a main beam of the ship. One death occurred, that of William Button. After two months at sea, they sighted land on November 9, 1620, off the coast of Cape Cod . They attempted to sail south to the designated landing site at the mouth of the Hudson but ran into trouble in the region of Pollock Rip , a shallow area of shoals between Cape Cod and Nantucket Island . With winter approaching and provisions running dangerously low,

21216-399: The umbrella of the Church. The separate colonies were governed independently of one another until 1691, when Plymouth Colony was absorbed into the Massachusetts Bay Colony to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay . The Puritans also established the American public school system for the express purpose of ensuring that future generations would be able to read the Bible for themselves, which

21372-408: The unusual way in which the transfer of the pilgrims was arranged from Leyden to New England Jones was one of the owners of the ship by 1620, along with Christopher Nichols, Robert Child, and Thomas Short. It was from Child and Jones that Thomas Weston chartered her in the summer of 1620 to undertake the Pilgrim voyage. Weston had a significant role in Mayflower voyage due to his membership in

21528-438: The war that bears his name. Throughout July 1676, Church's band captured hundreds of Native American warriors, often without much of a fight, though Philip eluded him. Church was given permission to grant amnesty to any captured Native Americans who would agree to join the colonial side, and his force grew immensely. Philip was killed by a Pocasset Indian, and the war soon ended as an overwhelming colonial victory. Eight percent of

21684-413: The winter of 1620–21, then set sail for England on April 15 [ O.S. April 5], 1621. As with the Pilgrims, her sailors had been decimated by disease. Jones had lost his boatswain, his gunner, three quartermasters, the cook, and more than a dozen sailors. Mayflower made excellent time on her voyage back to England. The westerly winds that had buffeted her on the initial voyage pushed her along on

21840-504: The winter, the passengers remained on board Mayflower , suffering an outbreak of a contagious disease described as a mixture of scurvy , pneumonia , and tuberculosis . After it was over, only 53 passengers remained—just over half; half of the crew died as well. In the spring, they built huts ashore, and the passengers disembarked from Mayflower on March 31, 1621 [ O.S. March 21, 1621]. Historian Benson John Lossing described that first settlement: After many hardships ...

21996-429: The young, indentured servant of physician Samuel Fuller , died—the sole fatality of the voyage —and was buried at sea. A baby was also born, christened Oceanus Hopkins. During another storm, so fierce that the sails could not be used, the ship was forced to drift without hoisting its sails for days, or else risk losing her masts. The storm washed passenger John Howland overboard. He sank about 12 feet (4 m), but

22152-591: Was a central tenet of Puritan worship. However, dissenters of the Puritan laws were often banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. John Wheelwright left with his followers to establish a colony in New Hampshire and then went on to Maine. It was the dead of winter in January 1636 when Roger Williams was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of theological differences. One source of contention

22308-519: Was abandoned in 1608. Captain John Smith of Jamestown had explored the area in 1614 and is credited with naming the region New England. He named many locations using approximations of Indian words. He gave the name "Accomack" to the Patuxet settlement on which the Pilgrims founded Plymouth, but he changed it to New Plymouth after consulting Prince Charles , son of King James. A map published in his 1616 work A Description of New England clearly shows

22464-463: Was also known as Alexander. Indian leaders such as Philip resented the colonists' increasing land acquisitions, and they looked for a means to slow or reverse it. Of specific concern was the founding of the town of Swansea , which was located only a few miles from the Wampanoag capital at Mount Hope . The General Court of Plymouth began using military force to coerce the sale of Wampanoag land to

22620-487: Was back in power. Standish and his men had injured several Native Americans, so the colonists offered them medical attention in Plymouth. They had failed to capture Corbitant, but the show of force by Standish had garnered respect for the Pilgrims and, as a result, nine of the most powerful sachems in the area signed a treaty in September, including Massasoit and Corbitant, pledging their loyalty to King James. In May 1622,

22776-477: Was beset by delays. Further disagreements with the Merchant Adventurers held up the departure in Southampton. A total of 120 passengers finally departed on August 5 – 90 on the Mayflower and 30 on the Speedwell . Leaving Southampton, the Speedwell suffered significant leakage, which required the ships to immediately put in at Dartmouth . The leakage was partly caused by being overmasted and being pressed too much with sail. Repairs were completed, and

22932-545: Was constantly rebuffed by the Plymouth leadership who mistrusted all Native Americans, thinking them potential enemies. Eventually, Governor Winslow and Plymouth military commander Major William Bradford (son of the late Governor William Bradford) relented and gave Church permission to organize a combined force of English and Native Americans. After securing the alliance of the Sakonnets, he led his combined force in pursuit of Philip, who had thus far avoided any major battles in

23088-547: Was designated as the commanding officer. By the end of the month, five cannons had been defensively positioned on Fort Hill. John Carver was elected governor to replace Governor Martin. On March 16, 1621, the first formal contact occurred with the Indians. Samoset was an Abenaki sagamore who was originally from Pemaquid Point in Maine . He had learned some English from fishermen and trappers in Maine, and he walked boldly into

23244-496: Was his view that government and religion should be separate; he also believed that the colonies should purchase land at fair prices from the Wampanoag and Narragansett tribes. Massachusetts officials intended to forcibly deport him back to England, but he escaped and walked through deep snow from Salem, Massachusetts to Raynham, Massachusetts , a distance of 55 miles. The Indian tribes helped him to survive and sold him land for

23400-511: Was invaluable and helped them to survive the early years of colonization. The Pilgrims lived on the same site where Squanto's Patuxet tribe had established a village before they were wiped out from diseases. The Plymouth settlement faced great hardships and earned few profits, but it enjoyed a positive reputation in England and may have sown the seeds for further immigration. Edward Winslow and William Bradford published an account of their experiences called Mourt's Relation (1622). This book

23556-607: Was much smaller than Massachusetts Bay Colony by the time that they merged. Myles Standish was the military leader of Plymouth Colony from the beginning. He was officially designated as the captain of the colony's militia in February 1621, shortly after the arrival of the Mayflower in December 1620. He organized and led the first party from the Mayflower to set foot in New England, an exploratory expedition of Cape Cod upon arrival in Provincetown Harbor. He also led

23712-510: Was only a small glimpse of the hardships and dangers encountered by the Pilgrims, but it encouraged other Puritans to immigrate during the Great Migration between 1620 and 1640. The Puritans in England first sent smaller groups in the mid-1620s to establish colonies, buildings, and food supplies, learning from the Pilgrims' harsh experiences of winter in the Plymouth Colony. In 1623, the Plymouth Council for New England (successor to

23868-407: Was refitted and seaworthy, having "made many voyages... to the great profit of her owners." He suggested that Speedwell ' s master may have used "cunning and deceit" to abort the voyage by causing the leaks, fearing starvation and death in America. At last the over-full and hitherto baffled Mayflower was ready for the third trial. This final voyage would be successful. On September 26, 1620,

24024-493: Was short-lived, but it provided the spark for an event that dramatically changed the political landscape between the local tribes and the settlers. Reports reached Plymouth of a military threat to Wessagussett, and Myles Standish organized a militia to defend them. However, he found that there had been no attack. He therefore decided on a pre-emptive strike, an event which historian Nathaniel Philbrick calls "Standish's raid". He lured two prominent Massachusett military leaders into

24180-692: Was still proceeding in 1612. According to records, the ship was twice on the Thames at London in 1613, once in July and again in October and November, and in 1616 she was on the Thames carrying a cargo of wine, which suggests that the ship had recently been on a voyage to France, Spain, Portugal, the Canaries, or some other wine-producing land. Jones sailed Mayflower cross-Channel, taking English woolens to France and bringing French wine back to London. He also transported hats, hemp, Spanish salt, hops, and vinegar to Norway, and he may have taken Mayflower whaling in

24336-724: Was the Pequot War of 1637. The war's roots go back to 1632, when a dispute arose between Dutch fur traders and Plymouth officials over control of the Connecticut River Valley near Hartford . Representatives from the Dutch East India Company and Plymouth Colony both had deeds which claimed that they had rightfully purchased the land from the Pequots . A sort of land rush occurred as settlers from Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies tried to beat

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