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After trade and communication between Europe and the Americas began following Columbus's
voyage in 1492, many Europeans began to seek opportunities in the New World. One such group,
now known as the Pilgrims, sailed from England to North America in 1620. Some of them wanted
to sail to America because they thought they could make money there. Some of them were
looking for greater religious freedoms. They all thought that a new life in a new land
could give them what they were looking for.
In the summer of 1620, a ship called the Mayflower as well as a second ship called the Speedwell
set sail from England towards the Americas. Shortly after their journey began, however,
the Speedwell sprang a leak and they had to stop to make repairs. They set sail again,
but they had only traveled a few hundred miles from England when the Speedwell began leaking
again, forcing both ships to return to Plymouth.
By then it was September, and the Pilgrims decided to abandon the Speedwell. Some of
the Speedwell's passengers moved onto the Mayflower, and some decided to stay in England.
On September 6, 1620, the Mayflower set sail a third time for the Americas.
Around 130 people were crammed onto the small Mayflower: about 100 were passengers, 70 adults
and 30 children. The rest were the ship's crew. There were animals on board the Mayflower
as well - pigs, goats, chickens, and even some pet dogs. The ship was only 106 feet
or 32 meters long and 25 feet or 7 and a half meters wide, so the voyage was extremely crowded.
When the weather was bad, the passengers had to stay below deck while the ship rocked and
tilted in the waves. Many people were sick for the entire trip. Two people died, and
one baby was born while they crossed the ocean. For those who were well, it must have been
a long and boring journey. Some passengers read books or played card games, but by the
time they arrived in the New World they must have been very glad for the voyage to end.
Land was sighted on November 9th, but there was a problem: they had landed too far north!
The original destination of the Mayflower was supposed to be Virginia, but storms and
rough seas had blown them off course so they had landed at what is now Massachusetts. They
tried to sail south, but by now the winter weather had made the seas stormy, and so they
decided to stay, and anchored in the harbor at Cape Cod on November 11th. They looked
around for a good place to settle, and by December they had moved to a place they named
Plymouth.
The first winter in the New World was a terrible one for the passengers of the Mayflower. They
were not prepared for the cold weather. They did not have enough food. Terrible sickness
came. By the time the spring of 1621 came, only about half of the passengers and crew
were still alive.
In April, the Mayflower and her crew returned to England, leaving the Pilgrims to try and
survive alone. They might all have died that year if it were not for help they received
from the Native Americans that lived in their area. One man in particular, named Squanto,
taught the English settlers many things that they needed to know. He taught them how to
plant corn, how to fish, and how to live in their new home. He knew how to speak English,
and helped interpret for the settlers and the Wampanoag tribe so they could speak to
each other.
That fall, there was a good harvest and plenty of food. The Pilgrims had a celebration that
lasted for three days, and they invited their new friends the Wampanoags to celebrate with
them. This feast is often called, 'The First Thanksgiving.'
I hope you enjoyed learning the story of the Mayflower and the First Thanksgiving today.
Goodbye till next time!