The Mayflower

The Mayflower finally reached Cape Cod on November 19, 1620. They had spent a little over two months in the turbulent fall Atlantic. It had been a rough voyage for the 102 passengers and estimated crew of 30. Originally, two ships had sailed from Plymouth, England, but the Stillwell kept springing leaks before it got far and had to go back for repairs. Finally, the Mayflower was sent on alone. They had sighted land on November 9th, but they wanted to colonize more to the south. However, they hit bad weather and they turned back to the cape, landing on November 19th.

Just over a third of the passengers were Puritans, who have become known as Pilgrims. They have become one of the icons in American history, symbolizing the beginning of English colonization. The Mayflower Compact the group signed is cited as the recorded beginnings of democratic ideas in the New World. November wasn't the best time to begin a colony, and only 53 survived that first winter. They stayed aboard the ship.

In the spring, Indians in the area helped them prepare for the coming year and we still celebrate the thanksgiving feast they held in the fall of 1621 to honor having enough.  More supplies and other settlers would eventually come, and the colony would survive, despite the adversity. History still remembers them and students still study about them each year.

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