The Pilgrims

Who were they?Where were they from?

Why did they come to America?

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William Bradford• Leader of a group known as “Separatists” in

England.• He and His group decided to leave England

and start their own settlement where they could practice religion as they pleased.

• They became known as “Pilgrims.”• Pilgrim– a person who journeys for religious

reasons.

Why did the pilgrims leave England?

Pilgrims• September 1620– set sail for Virginia in their

ship called The Mayflower.• Due to bad weather, The Mayflower landed

much farther north. • They called the land “New England.”• They settled near a rocky harbor called

“Plymouth.”

Mayflower Compact• A plan of government for their colony that

would make “just and equal laws…for the good of the colony.”

• Another important step toward self-government in the colonies (like the House of Burgesses).

• It was signed by all the men aboard The Mayflower.

Hardships

• Pilgrims were weak from the long voyage.• They faced freezing weather.• Hunger• Disease• In the first three months of the colony, nearly

half the settlers died.

What effect did weather have on

the pilgrims when they reached

Plymouth?

Squanto• Helped the Pilgrims by showing them the best

hunting and fishing areas. He also taught them how to grow corn in the rocky New England soil.

• The Pilgrims invited the Native Americans to a feast of Thanksgiving.

• They ate deer, wild duck, lobster, fish, cornbread, pumpkin, squash, berries, and wild plums. The celebration lasted for three days and included parades, games, and races.

Puritans• Another group from England who came to “The

New World” for religious reasons.• They learned from the hardships of Jamestown

and Plymouth. • Massachusetts Bay Colony• Boston was their settlement.• Very successful in creating a settlement!• Very religious• Anyone who didn’t agree with their beliefs were

made to leave their colony.

Why was the Puritan colony so successful?