The Plymouth Settlement

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Settlements Compared

Many people believe the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony were the first English settlers in North America. Although they were the first in New England, they were the second in the entire country after Jamestown in Virginia.

Watch the following video to learn about both settlements. As you do, identify at least two similarities and two differences between the settlements at Jamestown and Plymouth.

The Pilgrims did not arrive until 13 years after the first settlers arrived at Jamestown.

In September 1620, about 100 people left England for North America on the Mayflower.

Seeking Civil Rights

Unlike the Jamestown settlement, this was not an exploration voyage. The Pilgrims left England because they felt they did not have religious freedom. They were uninterested in being a part of the Church of England, the only legal church in England at the time, and sought a place where they could worship freely.

About two months after they left home, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in present-day Massachusetts. Plymouth provided a harbor for docking the ship and a river with fresh drinking water.

When the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth, the first order of business was to sign an agreement that would guarantee peace and fellowship among the settlers. This agreement, known as the Mayflower Compact, stated that everyone would work together for the colony's good and abide by the rules the colony would establish.

This agreement was so important to the Pilgrims that every male aboard the Mayflower signed it before they left the ship. To learn more about the journey and the agreement, read Mayflower and Mayflower Compact.

Unlike the Jamestown settlers, the Pilgrims came to the new world prepared to plant crops and hunt for food. The problem was that the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth in November. This did not allow enough time to plant crops and store food for the harsh New England winter.

During the winter of 1620-1621, more than half the Pilgrims died from starvation or illness.

Squanto Comes

It looked as though the Plymouth Colony would not survive. Then, the local Native American tribe, called the Wampanoag, reached out to the Pilgrims and offered to establish a peace treaty.

The natives also agreed to trade furs and food for English goods. Squanto, a Wampanoag who had once traveled to Europe and could speak English, offered to stay with the Pilgrims and teach them survival skills.

Squanto taught the Pilgrims how to plant corn, where to hunt, and how to survive the freezing winters. Without his assistance, it is almost certain that the Pilgrims would not have survived.

Survival Celebrated

The Pilgrims were so happy to have survived the first year in Plymouth that they celebrated with a huge feast. The Wampanoag showed up at the feast, which became a huge celebration.

It was such a joyous time that the Pilgrims decided to make it an annual day of remembrance and celebration. Today, we call this day Thanksgiving; however, this holiday has changed greatly from how it was celebrated in 1621.

Watch the following video to learn what the first Thanksgiving was really like.

Next, continue to the Got It? section to show what you know!