That's right On September 16, 1620, exactly 400 years ago today the Mayflower set sail for the the New World! The merchant vessel carried 120 passengers, among them were religious separatists who cut themselves off from the English church to form their own religious order. The New World was a great opportunity for them to practice their own religious freedoms without being under the watchful eye of the crown.
The Mayflower hit some seriously stormy seas during the Atlantic crossing. Taking them two months to reach the New World. Due to the bad weather and navigational errors the ship landed in Cape Cod, Massachusetts instead of Northern Virginia. That's roughly 500 miles apart!
Once ashore they they settled in. Fist thing set, were the rules! The Pilgrims drafted a Mayflower Compact creating governing rules for their tiny colony.
They spent the brutal North Eastern Winter aboard the Mayflower. Of the 102 passengers, only 45 people survived. They suffered through cold, starvation and disease. If it were not for the kindness of the Native Americans who taught them how to hunt and plant crops, the odds of them surviving would have been slim.
Can you believe its only been 400 years since the first colony settled into the United States? History has a way of sneaking up on us! How many of you have visited the Cape? Provincetown constructed a monument commemorating the Pilgrims landing in the area. You can learn more about this monument and museum HERE! Very Cool! Perhaps one day we will be able to visit. And perhaps we'll see you there!
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