Mayflower Day

The Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England on September 16th 1620.

Aboard the ship was a group of English Puritans, known as the Pilgrims, who were seeking a new home where they could freely practice their religion without persecution. They were also seeking economic opportunities and a better life for themselves and their families.

The Pilgrims had initially attempted to establish a settlement in northern Virginia, but were forced to abandon their plans due to conflicts with local Native American tribes and the Virginia Company, which controlled the area. They then secured a patent from the English Crown to establish a settlement in the northern part of the New World, which is present-day Massachusetts.

The Mayflower, a merchant ship, was chartered to transport the Pilgrims and their supplies to their new home. The journey was long and difficult, but after 66 days at sea, the Mayflower arrived at the coast of what is now Massachusetts in November 1620. The Pilgrims established a settlement in the area, which became the birthplace of the New England colonies.