The Pilgrims and the Plymouth Colony (1620)
In the 1500s England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and created a new church called the Church of England. Everyone in England had to belong to the church. There was a group of people called Separatists that wanted to separate from the Church of England. The Separatists, under the leadership of William Bradford, decided to leave England and start a settlement of their own so that they could practice their religion freely. Bradford went to the Virginia Company and asked them for permission to establish a new colony in Virginia. The Virginia Company agreed, so the Pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower in September 1620 towards Virginia.
The Pilgrims had a long and difficult journey across the Atlantic Ocean. A storm blew them off course so instead of landing in Virginia, they landed further north in Cape Cod (present day Massachusetts). The Pilgrims decided to settle in this area and called it Plymouth. There was a problem with them staying; there was no form of government to follow. The Virginia Company had given the Pilgrims a charter to settle in Virginia. The charter was not valid for Plymouth. The men aboard the Mayflower decided that they would write a plan of government for their colony. The plan of government became known as the Mayflower Compact. The men agreed to consult each other about the laws for the colony, and they promised to work together to make the colony succeed. All the men signed the document. Women were not allowed to participate.
The Pilgrims finally stepped foot on land in November of 1620. This was not the best time to establish a colony. It was very difficult for the Pilgrims to find food and shelter in the middle of winter. By the time spring arrived, half of the colonists had died. When spring arrived the Pilgrims set out to plant crops and build their colony. They Pilgrims were told how to plant corn and other crops and how to trap animals for food and clothing by Samoset and Squanto. By fall the colony was saved and to celebrate their success they celebrated the first Thanksgiving.
Note Questions:
1. Why did the Pilgrims decide to leave England and make the dangerous trip to the New World?
2. What idea for government did the Pilgrims create? What is this known as?
In the 1500s England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and created a new church called the Church of England. Everyone in England had to belong to the church. There was a group of people called Separatists that wanted to separate from the Church of England. The Separatists, under the leadership of William Bradford, decided to leave England and start a settlement of their own so that they could practice their religion freely. Bradford went to the Virginia Company and asked them for permission to establish a new colony in Virginia. The Virginia Company agreed, so the Pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower in September 1620 towards Virginia.
The Pilgrims had a long and difficult journey across the Atlantic Ocean. A storm blew them off course so instead of landing in Virginia, they landed further north in Cape Cod (present day Massachusetts). The Pilgrims decided to settle in this area and called it Plymouth. There was a problem with them staying; there was no form of government to follow. The Virginia Company had given the Pilgrims a charter to settle in Virginia. The charter was not valid for Plymouth. The men aboard the Mayflower decided that they would write a plan of government for their colony. The plan of government became known as the Mayflower Compact. The men agreed to consult each other about the laws for the colony, and they promised to work together to make the colony succeed. All the men signed the document. Women were not allowed to participate.
The Pilgrims finally stepped foot on land in November of 1620. This was not the best time to establish a colony. It was very difficult for the Pilgrims to find food and shelter in the middle of winter. By the time spring arrived, half of the colonists had died. When spring arrived the Pilgrims set out to plant crops and build their colony. They Pilgrims were told how to plant corn and other crops and how to trap animals for food and clothing by Samoset and Squanto. By fall the colony was saved and to celebrate their success they celebrated the first Thanksgiving.
Note Questions:
1. Why did the Pilgrims decide to leave England and make the dangerous trip to the New World?
2. What idea for government did the Pilgrims create? What is this known as?