Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was the first permanent European settlement in New England, established in 1620 by a group known as the Pilgrims. These settlers, primarily English Separatists seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities, initially aimed for Virginia but instead landed in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, after an arduous voyage on the Mayflower. Upon arrival, they faced significant hardships, including disease and malnutrition, but were aided by local Native Americans, particularly Squanto and Massasoit, who provided crucial assistance in agriculture and established a treaty of alliance.
The colony thrived over the years, with key leadership from figures like William Bradford, who served as governor for approximately thirty years and was instrumental in creating a self-sufficient agricultural community. The Pilgrims celebrated their successful harvest in 1621, which is often regarded as the first Thanksgiving, marking a moment of cooperation between the settlers and indigenous peoples. However, as more European settlers arrived and sought land, tensions grew, leading to conflicts such as King Philip's War. By the late 17th century, Plymouth Colony had merged with the Province of Massachusetts Bay, signaling the end of its independent governance.
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth was the first permanent colony of Europeans in the New England region. In 1620, a group of Europeans, who were later called Pilgrims, boarded a ship named the Mayflower and embarked for the New World. They originally intended to settle in Virginia, near the colony of Jamestown. However, the Mayflower ended up in Cape Cod in what is now Massachusetts, and the settlers founded the Plymouth Colony there.
With help from local Native Americans, including Squanto and Massasoit, the Pilgrims developed a self-sufficient colony. William Bradford, who served as Plymouth’s governor for about thirty years, also helped the colony become a success. Nevertheless, violence among the settlers and Native Americans later erupted, and the Plymouth Colony joined the Province of Massachusetts Bay by 1692.
Journey to Plymouth
In September of 1620, a group of 102 men and women from England boarded a large commercial ship called the Mayflower and headed for the New World. Among these men and women were about forty members of the English Separatist Church, a Puritan splinter group that had broken away from the Church of England. The Separatists, later called Pilgrims, travelled to the New World to find new economic prospects and to protect their culture. The remaining passengers aboard the Mayflower included immigrants and fortune seekers.
The Mayflower passengers had planned to settle in Virginia, somewhere north of the Jamestown settlement. Due to bad weather at sea, the Mayflower never arrived at its destination. Instead, more than two months after setting sail, the Mayflower landed on the shores of Cape Cod in what later became Massachusetts. During the voyage, one person died and one child was born. In December of 1620, the group landed at Plymouth Rock. John Smith, an explorer, named the region Plymouth because the Mayflower had departed from the port of Plymouth in England. While still aboard the Mayflower, all of the men had signed the Mayflower Compact of 1620. The document stated that the Pilgrims would rely on majority rule to govern the colony they planned to establish.
Establishing a Settlement
Many of the 102 original settlers died during the first winter, as malnutrition and disease spread throughout Plymouth Colony. Only forty-four settlers survived to see the spring. Local Native Americans, however, came to the Pilgrims’ rescue. Squanto, or Tisquantum, a member of the Pawtuxet tribe, taught the Pilgrims how to fertilize the soil for crops, such as corn, and he served as an interpreter and mediator for the Pilgrims in their dealings with other Native Americans. From Squanto the Pilgrims also learned where they could fish and hunt small game, such as beaver. Massasoit, the chief of the Wampanoag tribe, also aided the settlers. He signed a treaty of alliance with the Pilgrims and provided them with additional provisions for several years.
After the harvest in the autumn of 1621, the Pilgrims celebrated with a festival. About ninety members of the Wampanoag tribe joined the Pilgrims in their celebration. Considered the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims and Native Americans feasted on deer, fish, duck, turkey, and cornbread. Over the years, other settlers continued to hold similar celebrations in the fall. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made this festival, now known as Thanksgiving, a national holiday.
More European settlers eventually came to Plymouth Colony. Soon three ships—the Fortune in 1621, the Anne in 1623, and the Little James in 1623—brought additional passengers to the colony. The passengers from these ships and the Mayflower were later known as the “Old Comers.” Because of their status within the colony, these people received special treatment. Within five years of founding Plymouth Colony, the Pilgrims made strides in agriculture, fishing, and trading, which helped make the colony self-sufficient.
Leading the Colony
William Bradford was one of the most important men in Plymouth Colony. A leader of the Separatist congregation, Bradford was among the passengers aboard the Mayflower. He kept a detailed journal of the Mayflower’s voyage and of the founding of Plymouth Colony, which eventually helped him create a two-volume chronicle called Of Plymouth Plantation. Bradford was also one of the framers of the Mayflower Compact of 1620. He became Plymouth’s governor in 1621 after the first governor died. Bradford served as governor for about thirty years. During this time, he helped draft the colony’s legal code, served as chief magistrate, and presided over the deliberations of the General Court, which was the colony's legislature. Bradford also developed a community that was based on private subsistence agriculture. He achieved this by distributing the land among all the colonists. In addition, Bradford championed religious tolerance, unlike the leaders of the nearby Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Eventually, more Europeans took the Pilgrims’ lead and settled in New England. But because these settlers desired more land in the region, relations with Native Americans grew sour. Violence broke out, which led to King Philip’s War in 1675. The war caused great destruction and grabbed the attention of England's leaders, who began reorganizing colonial governments and cancelling charters. Plymouth Colony first became part of the United Colonies of New England, and it later joined the Province of Massachusetts Bay in the 1690s.
Bibliography
“The End of Plymouth Colony.” Pilgrim Hall Museum. Pilgrim Hall Museum. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. http://www.pilgrimhallmuseum.org/ap‗end‗plymouth‗colony.htm
“The Mayflower and Plymouth Colony.” USHistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. http://www.ushistory.org/us/3a.asp
“Plymouth Colony.” History.com. A+E Networks. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. http://www.history.com/topics/plymouth
“William Bradford.” History.com. A+E Networks. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. http://www.history.com/topics/william-bradford
“William Bradford and the First Thanksgiving.” USHistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. http://www.ushistory.org/us/3b.asp