In the year 1620. The good ship mayflower is carrying pilgrims across the sea to america. Who were the pilgrims . Why did they leave their homes . The answer is in the history of the plymouth plantation, written by William Blackford william bradford, second governor of the colony. Bradfords history against with religious problems in england when james the first became king in 1603. As king, james was also supreme head of the church of england, the official church. Thesome people objected to expensive rules and rituals of the church of england. They with true from it they withdrew from the dead were called separatists. The story of their religious persecution in england, how they became pilgrims and how they found religious freedom was recorded by william bradford. Therefore, the lords free people joined themselves into a church or state. Towns andfrom various villages in england. But after they continued together for about a year and kept meetings every sabbath, exercising the worship of god amongst themselves, they saw they could no longer continue. So the result to get to holland, which was in 1607 and 1608. Narrator the separatists would leave england to find freedom of religion and knowledge. To leave their native country, their land and all their friends and acquaintances, and adventure, almost desperate. Separatistsout 125 from england reached holland, the netherlands. Being now coming to holland, they saw many good cities. Also, they heard a strange language. They saw the different manners and customs of the people and their strange fashions, so it seemed they were coming to a new world. After they had lived there for 11 or 12 years, they thought of a new future and removal of removal to some other place, some of those best countries of america. Narrator the separatists went to england to get a ship and on september 6, 1620 they started the long sea voyage. There ship, the mayflower, carried one hundred two passengers, separatists from holland and also those who joined in england dad were called strangers. Most of the money for the voyage was supplied by merchants in london who would have to be repaid. Many of the crew had already made voyages to america on other ships. This time, they were headed for virginia, where the separatists had paid permission to settle. The mayflower, christopher jones, was an experienced sailor. Passengers might interfere with the running of the ship, he ordered his crew to make sure the passengers stayed off the deck. Conditions below deck were frightful. Passengers were cramped in gloomy surroundings without much light or air. Over 30 of them were children. They passed away endless hours, sometimes by playing quiet games like cats cradle. Once, a more serious game was played, trying to explode the ships store of gun power. Luckily, that stopped in time. There was very little for children to do on the long sea voyage. Life aboardtime, ship was sad and dreary. For more than two months, families lived in the dark, crowded ships hold. Many became ill with scurvy. But in spite of their hardships, the pilgrims never lost faith. Liam bradford wrote, the dangers were great, the difficulties many. Yet all of them, through the help of god, might be overcome. They knew they were pilgrims. A long meeting at sea, they fell on the land, which was cape cod. Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the god of heaven who dropped them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered, from all the miseries and perils thereof. They had now no friends to welcome them, no homes or towns to go to. See but what could they a wilderness . Wilderness washe not virginia, where they had permission to settle, but new england, where the winter storms had driven them. Arguments broke out among the pilgrims, and among the strangers. Some felt that because this land would not be under the laws of virginia, they could leave the colony, go where they pleased. Andeep the pilgrims strangers together under some kind of government, the leaders of the pilgrims wrote a document that came known as the mayflower compact. Obey thers promised to laws that they would make. They elected john carver their first governor. In part, the mayflower compact reads, a we, having undertaken voyage to found a colony, do solemnly in the presence of god and one another combined ourselves as to enact such just and equal laws as shall be thought most in vineyard for the general good of the colony most convenient for the general good of the colony. Anrator the colonists took important first step in government. The idea people could make their own laws and elect their only years was the beginning of the growth of american democracy. Boat that hadmall been carried on board the mayflower, a scouting party set out to explore the land and find a suitable place for their settlement. [water splashing] they had no idea what dangers they might face in the new land, wild animals, indians, friendly or unfriendly. So most of the men were armed. Found running streams of freshwater and good soil where indians had grown crops. Found a place where indians had buried seed corn. This area was the site of an abandoned village. The explorers decided it would be a good place for their settlement. Plymouth, call it named after an earlier explorer of new england. They began to unload passengers and goods from the mayflower. December 25, christmas day, was not a holiday celebrated by pilgrims, so as bradford wrote, on the 25th day of december, they began to erect the first to receiveommon use, them and their goods. Narrator plots of ground were measured out for each family. Time inld waste no planning and building their settlement, because it was now winter and many of them were becoming ill. Workingo were able kept to build the houses. But the cold, damp Winter Weather and the sicknesses they had suffered on their long voyage began to strike them down. So as they died, sometimes two or three a day, a scarce 150 remained. And of these, there were but six or seven sound persons who spared no pain night or day, but with an abundance of toil sick, feduld for the them, made their beds, washed their clothes and did all the necessary things for them which dainty stomachs cannot hear named. Narrator after that terrible first winter, life improved for the pilgrims. Bradfords history continues the story. The spring now approaching, it pleased god that the sick recovered. About the 16th of march, a certain indian came boldly among them. In english. Them his name was somerset. Narrator somerset, a local chief, learned english from english fishermen along the coast of maine. He told the pilgrims of another indian, squanto, who also spoke english and would even sail to england and back. He promised to come again and bring squanto with him. When somerset and squanto came, they told the pilgrims a great andf, mesozoic, was nearby wanted to meet with that nearby andwas wanted to meet with them. They brought the chief to meet the governor. The two leaders ate and drank together. During this friendly meeting, they discussed a peace treaty by which neither the pilgrims or the indians should do harm to one another, but would assist each other whenever help might be needed. Massasoit agreed, and the treaty that was made would last for 24 years. With thepiece was made indians, the pilgrims felt safe. Now, they could allow the mayflower to sail back to england. As they watched, perhaps they realized they would never see their old homes again, but they had homes now in their new colony of plymouth. That theized, too, merchants in england who had lent money to the colony would be waiting to be repaid in trade goods. So there was still much work to be done in this first year. It was now april. Able began as were to plant corn. Set fish in them to the ground to help it grow. Directed them where to catch fish. So all that summer, there was no want and every family had their portion. Narrator in a small but sturdy home in the small but sturdy homes the pilgrims had built, cooking and studying and every day of the family life were going on. As the summer of their first year came to an end, pilgrim farmers harvested the corn they planted. To celebrate their harvest, they prepared a feast. Grown,as food they had wild turkeys from the forest, and lobsters and fish from the sea. Feast, the pilgrims invited their indian friends. This was a time of celebration. The pilgrims would give thanks to god, and thanksgiving at the end of their first year. Pilgrims and indians would share games ofst, and have contest and skill. [laughter] this was a time for laughter and rejoicing. It was also the end of a year of enormous hardships for the brave men, women and children of plymouth colony. Of those who came to subtle nearly a year before, less than half left. But in that one difficult year, they achieved much. Had built the first colony in new england. They had freedom to worship in their own way. They could make laws in their own system of selfgovernment. Bradford put in his history these words, those which came over first in the year 1620 by the blessing of god were the first beginners, and the source of the foun