The Pilgrims

The story of the Pilgrims is one lauded in American history. Students in the United States learn about their voyage in elementary school and celebrate the anniversary of their mythologized first fall harvest every year at Thanksgiving. But who were the Pilgrims? And what made them abandon all they knew for life in an unknown land across the Atlantic? Keep reading to find out their motivations and how they beat the odds.

The History of the Pilgrims

The Protestant Reformation, beginning in 1517, sent shockwaves throughout Europe. Protestant sects popped up across the continent and proved to be formidable opponents of Catholicism. In England, however, King Henry VIII remained loyal to the Catholic Church for over a decade. It was not until he created the Church of England in 1534 that he formally split with the Catholic Church.

The establishment of the Church of England spurred decades of religious turmoil and dissent in England. Of course, Catholics refused to adopt the new religion, but so did many Protestants who believed the Church did not go far enough in separating itself from Catholicism. It did not help that King Henry VIII's successors (his three children) gave the country whiplash with which religion they endorsed and enforced.

The Separatists, coming together in the early 1600s, were a Protestant sect that ultimately rejected the Church of England. They disliked its emphasis on rituals and hierarchies and refused to participate. As such, they became a target of persecution under James I. Wanting to escape this persecution; many Separatists left England for the Netherlands in 1608.

Fig. 2 - King James I

They settled in Leiden and received asylum, but they could not–nor did they wish to–integrate into Dutch society. They also faced financial hardship as they had uprooted and restarted their lives. By the time the Thirty Years’ War began, and the threat of Spanish intervention materialized, many Separatists were ready to find a new home–one across the Atlantic Ocean.

In September, they received a land patent from the Virginia Company, a British trading company. Investors believed that the Separatists would be an excellent group to send because of their close-knit nature and their resilience in the face of hardship. The Merchant Adventures, a group of 70 London businessmen, provided the funding by purchasing shares, expecting a profit from future trade. They paid for the ship, the crew, and a year of supplies, and in return, the Pilgrims pledged to work for the company for their first seven years.

The History of the Pilgrims: The Pilgrims’ Religion

In the fall of 1620, the Mayflower set sail from England to establish a settlement southeast of the Hudson River. The passengers earned the name Pilgrims because of their religious motivations--they were on a pilgrimage of sorts. But, interestingly, only half of the Pilgrims were Separatists.

Fig. 3 - painting of the Mayflower

The Separatists considered themselves ‘Saints,’ already chosen for salvation, whereas the other passengers were ‘Strangers’ who had not yet received salvation. These 'Strangers' included those seeking economic opportunity and those who would perform key roles like defending their territory.

The History of the Pilgrims: The Arrival

After over 60 days at sea, the Pilgrims reached America, but they ended up far from where they had intended to settle due to weather complications. Instead of landing southeast of the Hudson River, they found themselves in New England, in modern-day Massachusetts.

Fig. 4 - map of Plymouth Colony

Left without a charter for the land they would be occupying, the Pilgrims could develop their form of government. Before they departed the ship, they created the Mayflower Compact, a predecessor to later constitutions. It was signed by 41 men and stated that the government was subject to the people's will. They named their new settlement Plymouth after the English port they departed from.

Facts about the Pilgrims’ First Year

The Pilgrims’ first winter in Plymouth was not easy. Over half of their population died from exposure, starvation, and disease. Luckily for the Pilgrims, they found that Indigenous peoples, notably the Wampanoag tribe, were willing to help. They taught the pilgrims how to grow corn and introduced them to the highly profitable fur trade–beaver fur would soon become all the rage in Europe. By the following fall, the Pilgrims were finding real success and were sending fur, fish, and timber back to England.

Summary of the Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony

As the century passed, the Pilgrims developed relationships with other settlements in Massachusetts. These included trade relationships and military alliances that banded together to fight against the Indigenous peoples that had kept Plymouth alive. However, the colony remained independent until it joined the neighboring Massachusetts Bay Colony under a new charter in 1691. This ended their self-governance as the governor, with broadened powers, would now be appointed by the crown.

Leaders of the Pilgrims

As we now know, the leaders of the Pilgrims answered to the people. Surprisingly, one man, William Bradford, kept the favor of the people for over 30 terms as governor. Let’s dive a bit deeper into his story and the story of John Carver, the first governor of the Plymouth Colony.

Leaders of the Pilgrims: John Carver

Fig 6 - William Bradford