The Pilgrims' Journey and Mayflower Compact

The Pilgrims' Journey

• John Smith explored the Atlantic coast in 1614, mapping the region and writing "A Description of New England".
• The region described includes Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
• Many English people sought religious freedom, wanting to build communities in New England.
• King Henry VIII banned the Catholic Church in England, replacing it with the Church of England. Those who did not convert were punished.
• Pilgrims, a group of English people who had sought religious freedom in the Netherlands, moved to North America seeking a society with shared religious beliefs.
• The Virginia Company agreed to pay the Pilgrims' passage to North America in exchange for lumber and furs from their new land.
• The Pilgrims set sail from England on the Mayflower in September 1620.

The Mayflower Compact

• The Mayflower landed at Cape Cod instead of Virginia.
• The settlers in the new colony needed a government system since law and order was needed.
• The Mayflower Compact was signed by the men aboard the ship.
• The Compact stipulated that just laws were made for the good of the colony and all signatories pledged allegiance to these laws.
• The Compact was important because it established a system of self-government at a time when monarchies ruled.
• The Mayflower Compact included the idea of majority rule, where decisions were made according to the majority's agreement.

Building a Colony

• The first winter was extremely difficult and many settlers died.
• Native Americans, especially Samoset and Squanto of the Wampanoag tribe, helped the Pilgrims.
• They showed the Pilgrims how to fish and plant crops, significantly improving their food supply and increasing their chances of survival.
• The Pilgrims traded with Native Americans for furs and other goods.
• The Native Americans and the settlers benefited from their trade; this cooperation proved to be valuable for both groups.

Plymouth Grows

• After the initial struggles, the Plymouth colony prospered due to farming, fishing and fur trading.
• The number of colonists increased, but it was initially slow. About 300 colonists lived in Plymouth by 1630.
• Colonists began to clear more land to farm which created conflict between the colonists and Native Americans.

New France

• The French aimed to establish New France in North America, including parts of present-day Canada and the northeastern United States.
• French merchants were interested in acquiring fur trade wealth, leading them to explore North America and establish settlements.
• Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec in 1608.
• French Catholic missionaries often lived among Native Americans, assisting in the conversion to Catholicism.
• The population of New France grew slowly and consisted primarily of fur traders and trappers.

New Netherland

• The Dutch established New Netherland, settlements along the Hudson River, in parts of what is now New York and New Jersey.
• The Dutch were interested in the fur trade.
• In 1626, Peter Minuit, governor of New Netherland, purchased Manhattan Island from the Native Americans.
• New Amsterdam, the center of the colony, was established on Manhattan Island.
• The Dutch and Native Americans initially traded, with different understandings of land ownership and use. These differences eventually caused conflict.

Conflicts in North America

• Conflicts arose between colonists and Native Americans over land and resources as colonists expanded their settlements.
• In the fur trading regions of New France and New Netherland, conflict with Native Americans grew because of land clearing for growing farms.
• The colonists attacked the Native American villages, causing severe destruction to their communities.
• A peace treaty was signed in 1645, stopping the conflict, and wiping out many of the Native American communities.

Explore the historical journey of the Pilgrims as they traveled to North America in search of religious freedom. This quiz delves into key events, such as their arrival on the Mayflower and the establishment of the Mayflower Compact. Test your knowledge on the motivations and actions that shaped early New England settlements.