The Puritans
As it has been established in the great American history, colonists came to America for many reasons. They came to explore, to make money, to spread and practice their religion freely, and to live on land of their own. The Pilgrims and Puritans came to America to practice religious freedom.
In the 1500s England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and created a new church called the Church of England. Everyone in England had to belong to the church. There was a group of people called Separatists that wanted to separate from the Church of England. The Separatists, under the leadership of William Bradford, decided to leave England and start a settlement of their own so that they could practice their religion freely. Bradford went to the Virginia Company and asked them for permission to establish a new colony in Virginia. The Virginia Company agreed, so the Pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower in September 1620 towards
Virginia.
The Pilgrims had a long and difficult journey across the Atlantic Ocean. A storm blew them off course so instead of landing in Virginia, they landed further north in Cape Cod. The Pilgrims decided to settle in this area and called it Plymouth. There was a problem with them staying; there was no form of government to follow. The Virginia Company had given the Pilgrims a charter to settle in Virginia. The charter was not valid for Plymouth. The men aboard the Mayflower decided that they would write a plan of government for their colony. The plan of government became known as the Mayflower Compact. The men agreed to consult each other about the laws for the colony, and they promised to work together to make the colony succeeded.
All the men signed the document. Women were not allowed to participate.
The Pilgrims finally stepped foot on land in November of 1620. This was not the best time to establish a colony. It was very difficult for the Pilgrims to find food and shelter in the middle of winter. By the time spring arrived, half of the
In the 1500s England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and created a new church called the Church of England. Everyone in England had to belong to the church. There was a group of people called Separatists that wanted to separate from the Church of England. The Separatists, under the leadership of William Bradford, decided to leave England and start a settlement of their own so that they could practice their religion freely. Bradford went to the Virginia Company and asked them for permission to establish a new colony in Virginia. The Virginia Company agreed, so the Pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower in September 1620 towards
Virginia.
The Pilgrims had a long and difficult journey across the Atlantic Ocean. A storm blew them off course so instead of landing in Virginia, they landed further north in Cape Cod. The Pilgrims decided to settle in this area and called it Plymouth. There was a problem with them staying; there was no form of government to follow. The Virginia Company had given the Pilgrims a charter to settle in Virginia. The charter was not valid for Plymouth. The men aboard the Mayflower decided that they would write a plan of government for their colony. The plan of government became known as the Mayflower Compact. The men agreed to consult each other about the laws for the colony, and they promised to work together to make the colony succeeded.
All the men signed the document. Women were not allowed to participate.
The Pilgrims finally stepped foot on land in November of 1620. This was not the best time to establish a colony. It was very difficult for the Pilgrims to find food and shelter in the middle of winter. By the time spring arrived, half of the