1620Reputable sourceWell documented
The Mayflower and Plymouth Colony
On the timeline · around 1620 ·
What happened
In 1620 a group of English religious separatists — the Pilgrims — crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower, seeking to worship freely. Blown off course, they landed near Cape Cod and founded Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts, first drawing up the Mayflower Compact to govern themselves. Over half died in the first winter; the survivors endured with the help of the local Wampanoag people.
Why it matters
Plymouth, after Jamestown, was the second enduring English settlement in America and the seed of New England. Its self-governing compact became part of the founding mythology of the future United States.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Plymouth Colony · Reputable source