Puritans and Plymouth, MA
Church of England
 1530’s – King Henry VIII declares himself the head of
the Church of England.
 Live in England = Member of Church of England
 Severe Punishments if you are not.
 Separatists (Early 1600’s)
 Move to Netherlands
 Practice Religion Freely
 Still not happy
 Kids were becoming “too Dutch”
“What about the Virginia Company?”
 Virginia Company
 Started by King James I
 Gave a charter to start Virginia
 Set up laws for the colony
Pilgrims
 What is a Pilgrim?
 A person who takes a religious journey”
 Left for VA in 1620
 100 Pilgrims
 1 Ship (What was it called?)
 Mayflower
 Blown Off Course by Storms
 Landed Far North of Virginia
 Present Day Massachusetts
 Named it Plymouth
 Not bound by rules of VA Company
 Route of the Mayflower (click)
Mayflower Compact
 No VA Company Rules
 Still Need Rules
 Created Mayflower Compact
 41 signers (all adult men)
 Mayflower Compact (click)
 What does this mean?
 Elected Leaders
 Just and Equal laws
The 1st Thanksgiving
 Difficult 1st winter
 Planted Crops too late
 ½ died from starvation or disease
 Native American Help
 Squanto
 Provided Native Seeds
 Corn
 Beans
 Pumpkins
 Fall of 1621 Pilgrims Thanked Natives
 (Click)