Journey of the Pilgrims and the Mayflower

In 1620, a group of English citizens departed from England and journeyed to the new world on a ship called the Mayflower. The citizens, known as Pilgrims, landed in what is known as Plymouth, Massachusetts, and established the first colony in America.

On September 6, 1620 at total of 102 passengers and crew left Southampton, England to begin a new life in a new world. The Pilgrims were religious separatists that looked to break away from the religious guidelines that restricted them in England and practice their own religious views.

The journey from England to America took the Pilgrims 66 days to complete, arriving on November 11, 1620. The journey was difficult for the passengers, with little space available on the retrofitted cargo ship to move or live. The original course of the journey had been planned to arrive north of what is now New York City. However, the weather pushed the Mayflower off course and the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

Upon arrival in America, the settlers started to explore the new land, and a few brave adventurers set up shelter in the new colony. However, due to the winter conditions in Plymouth, many lived on the ship during the winter months. When spring arrived, the colonists left the ship and began establishing living quarters and started planting seeds for food that they would use in America. 

However, the winter was very harsh in the new settlement and disease began to spread among the settlers. Due to a variety of diseases nearly half of the passengers and crew died during the winter. In April 1621, the remaining crew left Massachusetts and set out for England.

After a difficult start, the Plymouth Colony flourished and more settlers came over from England to join the colonists in the new land. Over the next one hundred years, many more people came over from England and established settlements all along the east coast, to where 13 colonies were settled.

The Pilgrims had a difficult journey to the new world on the Mayflower. Many of the original passengers never made it off the ship and onto the new settlement, due to illness and disease. However, they were the original pioneers who began a settlement in the new world, which was the start of a new beginning, which eventually led to the formation of the United States of America.

There are many stories of the Pilgrims on the Mayflower, and several resources exist in helping to tell the story:

·       Information About the Mayflower

·       Mayflower Compact

·       Mayflower Passenger Deaths

·       Timeline of Plymouth Colony

·       Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony

·       Plymouth Rock

·       Pilgrim Story

·       History of the Pilgrims

·       Mayflower History

·       Mayflower Descendents

·       Mayflower Ship Log

·       Tour of the Mayflower

·       Mayflower Compact Agreement

·       Colonial America

·       Landing of the Pilgrims

·       First Year at Plymouth Colony

·       Mayflower Passengers