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==History==

===Origins===

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Plymouth Colony was founded by permanent settlers who later came to be known as the "Pilgrims". The core group — roughly 40% of the adults and 56% of the family groupings was a congregation of religious separatists led by pastor John Robinson, church elder William Brewster, and [[William Bradford]] (1590-1657). While still in the town of Scrooby in Nottinghamshire, England, the congregation began to feel the pressures of religious persecution. In the Hampton Court Conference, [[King James I]] declared [[Puritans]] and Protestant Separatists to be undesirables, and in 1607, the Bishop of York raided the homes of and imprisoned several members of the congregation in a prison in [[Boston, Lincolnshire]].<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 7-13; Addison (1911), pp xiii-xiv</ref> The congregation left England and settled the Netherlands, first in Amsterdam, and finally in [[Leiden]] in 1609. <ref>Addison (1911), pp 51</ref>

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Plymouth Colony was founded by permanent settlers who later came to be known as the "Pilgrims". The core group — roughly 40% of the adults and 56% of the family groupings was a congregation of religious separatists led by pastor John Robinson, church elder William Brewster, and [[William Bradford]] (1590-1657). While still in the town of Scrooby in Nottinghamshire, England, the congregation began to feel the pressures of religious persecution. In the Hampton Court Conference, [[King James I]] declared [[Puritans]] and Protestant Separatists to be undesirables, and in 1607, the Bishop of York raided the homes of and imprisoned several members of the congregation in a prison in [[Boston, Lincolnshire]].<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 7-13; Addison (1911), pp xiii-xiv</ref> The congregation left England and settled the Netherlands, first in Amsterdam, and finally in [[Leiden]] in 1609.<ref>Addison (1911), pp 51</ref>

In Leiden, the congregation found the freedom to worship as it chose, but Dutch society was unfamiliar to these immigrants. Scrooby had been an agricultural village, whereas Leiden was a thriving industrial center. More serious was their children began adopting Dutch customs and language. Finally, the Pilgrims were not free from the persecutions of the English Crown; after William Brewster in 1618 published comments highly critical of the King of England and the Anglican Church, English authorities came to Leiden to arrest him. Though Brewster escaped arrest, the events motivated the congregation to move even further from England.<ref name=Philbrick-pp16-18>Philbrick (2006), pp 16-18</ref>

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In 1619, the Pilgrims obtained a land patent from the [[London Virginia Company]], allowing them to settle at the mouth of the [[Hudson River]]. They obtained ~~financing -- a loan--through~~ the "Merchant Adventurers," a group of Puritan businessmen who viewed colonization as a means of both spreading their religion and making a profit. Upon arrival in America, the Pilgrims would then work to repay their debts.<ref>The debt was finally paid off in 1648. Philbrick (2006), pp 19-20, 169</ref> Using the money from the Merchant Adventurers, the Pilgrims bought provisions and obtained passage on two ships, the ''[[Mayflower]]'' and the ''Speedwell''. After some delays the Pilgrims finally boarded the ''Speedwell'' in July [[1620]] from the Dutch port of Delfshaven.<ref> Philbrick (2006), pp 20-23</ref>

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In 1619, the Pilgrims obtained a land patent from the [[London Virginia Company]], allowing them to settle at the mouth of the [[Hudson River]]. They obtained financing—a loan—through the "Merchant Adventurers," a group of Puritan businessmen who viewed colonization as a means of both spreading their religion and making a profit. Upon arrival in America, the Pilgrims would then work to repay their debts.<ref>The debt was finally paid off in 1648. Philbrick (2006), pp 19-20, 169</ref> Using the money from the Merchant Adventurers, the Pilgrims bought provisions and obtained passage on two ships, the ''[[Mayflower]]'' and the ''Speedwell''. After some delays the Pilgrims finally boarded the ''Speedwell'' in July [[1620]] from the Dutch port of Delfshaven.<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 20-23</ref>

===Mayflower voyage===

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The ''Mayflower'' arrived in [[Southampton, England]] to rendezvous with the ''Speedwell'' and to pick up supplies and additional passengers. Among the passengers to join the group in Southampton were several Pilgrims including William Brewster, who had been in hiding for the better part of a year, and a group of passengers known to the Pilgrims as "The Strangers". This group was largely made up of passengers recruited by the Merchant Adventurers to provide governance for the colony as well as additional hands to work for the colony's ventures. Among the Strangers were [[Miles Standish]] (1584-1656), who became the colony's military leader. Characterized in Longfellow's poem as a shy and diffident person and suitor, Standish in reality was a pugnacious, touchy, short-tempered, and aggressive professional soldier. <ref>David Standish, "Myles and Me," Smithsonian 2000 30(12): 126-128, 130-140. ISSN: 0037-7333 Fulltext: at Ebsco </ref> Also included were [[Christopher Martin]], who had been designated by the Merchant Adventurers to act as Governor for the duration of the trans-Atlantic trip, and [[Stephen Hopkins]], a veteran of a failed colonial venture to Bermuda.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 24-25</ref>

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The ''Mayflower'' arrived in [[Southampton, England]] to rendezvous with the ''Speedwell'' and to pick up supplies and additional passengers. Among the passengers to join the group in Southampton were several Pilgrims including William Brewster, who had been in hiding for the better part of a year, and a group of passengers known to the Pilgrims as "The Strangers". This group was largely made up of passengers recruited by the Merchant Adventurers to provide governance for the colony as well as additional hands to work for the colony's ventures. Among the Strangers were [[Miles Standish]] (1584-1656), who became the colony's military leader. Characterized in Longfellow's poem as a shy and diffident person and suitor, Standish in reality was a pugnacious, touchy, short-tempered, and aggressive professional soldier.<ref>David Standish, "Myles and Me," Smithsonian 2000 30(12): 126-128, 130-140. ISSN: 0037-7333 Fulltext: at Ebsco</ref> Also included were [[Christopher Martin]], who had been designated by the Merchant Adventurers to act as Governor for the duration of the trans-Atlantic trip, and [[Stephen Hopkins]], a veteran of a failed colonial venture to Bermuda.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 24-25</ref>

120 passengers, ninety on the ''Mayflower'' and thirty on the ''Speedwell'', finally departed on August 15.<ref>Addison (1911), pp 63</ref> The ''Speedwell'' proved unseaworthy; some passengers went home; most crowded onto the "Mayflower." With 102 settlers, it left [[Plymouth]] on September 6, 1620. The voyage took almost two months as it was drawn out by strong westerly winds and by the Gulf Stream. Land was sighted on [[November 9]] off the coast of [[Cape Cod]] and with winter approaching and provisions running dangerously low, the passengers decided to return north and abandon their original plans to land sat the mouth of the Hudson River.<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 35-36</ref>

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===Mayflower Compact===

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The “Mayflower Compact” was a written agreement signed on Nov. 11, 1620, by the male settlers before coming ashore.<ref> ~~see text at~~ [http://www.pilgrimhall.org/compact.htm]</ref> It created a "civil Body Politick" whose purpose was to frame just and equal laws for the general good of the colony. It bound the men to form a government and submit to the will of the majority in whatever laws were passed. Its purpose, according to William Bradford, was to hold in check the strangers who said they did not have to obey anyone because there was no government here. That was because the Pilgrims’ patent from the Virginia Company granted rights of local self-government, but it did not apply to a settlement in New England. Some new compact was needed. The Mayflower Compact was thus an agreement to establish a local government that, although having no official legal status until a patent could be obtained, would at least have the strength of common consent. Its importance in American history comes from its premise that government rests on the consent of the governed, and that decisions should be made democratically rather than imposed by an authority figure. It was a [[social compact]] of the sort [[ John Locke]] imagined years later. [[John Quincy Adams]] hailed the Mayflower Compact as "perhaps the only instance, in human history, of that positive, original, social compact, which speculative philosophers have imagined as the only legitimate source of government."<ref> Michael P. Zuckert, ''The Natural Rights Republic: Studies in the Foundation of the American Political Tradition'' (1996) p 126</ref>

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The “Mayflower Compact” was a written agreement signed on Nov. 11, 1620, by the male settlers before coming ashore.<ref>[http://www.pilgrimhall.org/compact.htm see text at]</ref> It created a "civil Body Politick" whose purpose was to frame just and equal laws for the general good of the colony. It bound the men to form a government and submit to the will of the majority in whatever laws were passed. Its purpose, according to William Bradford, was to hold in check the strangers who said they did not have to obey anyone because there was no government here. That was because the Pilgrims’ patent from the Virginia Company granted rights of local self-government, but it did not apply to a settlement in New England. Some new compact was needed. The Mayflower Compact was thus an agreement to establish a local government that, although having no official legal status until a patent could be obtained, would at least have the strength of common consent. Its importance in American history comes from its premise that government rests on the consent of the governed, and that decisions should be made democratically rather than imposed by an authority figure. It was a [[social compact]] of the sort [[John Locke]] imagined years later. [[John Quincy Adams]] hailed the Mayflower Compact as "perhaps the only instance, in human history, of that positive, original, social compact, which speculative philosophers have imagined as the only legitimate source of government."<ref>Michael P. Zuckert, ''The Natural Rights Republic: Studies in the Foundation of the American Political Tradition'' (1996) p 126</ref>

In actual practice, Plymouth Colony, though less theocratic than neighboring Massachusetts, nevertheless leaned more toward theocracy than toward democracy.

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Samoset returned to Plymouth on [[March 22]] with a delegation from Massasoit that included Squanto; Massasoit himself joined them shortly thereafter. After an exchange of gifts, Massasoit and Governor Martin established a formal treaty of peace, which among other promises, ensured that each people would not bring harm to the other, that Massasoit would send his allies to make peaceful negotiations with Plymouth, and that they would come to each other's aid in a time of war.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 97-99</ref>

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On April ], 1621, after being anchored for almost four months in Plymouth Harbour, the ''Mayflower'' set sail for England.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 100-101</ref> Nearly half of the original 102 passengers died during the first winter.<ref>Addison (1911), pp 83-85</ref>As William Bradford wrote, "of these one hundred persons who came over in this first ship together, the greatest half died in the general mortality, and most of them in two or three months' time".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://etext.virginia.edu/users/deetz/Plymouth/Maydeaths.html | title=Mayflower Passenger Deaths, 1620-1621 | author=Patricia Scott Deetz | coauthors=James F. Deetz | work=The Plymouth Colony Archive Project | year=2000 | accessdate=2007-04-19}}</ref> Several of the graves on Cole's Hill were uncovered in 1855; their bodies were disinterred and moved to a site near Plymouth Rock.<ref>Addison (1911), pp 83</ref>

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On April ], 1621, after being anchored for almost four months in Plymouth Harbour, the ''Mayflower'' set sail for England.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 100-101</ref> Nearly half of the original 102 passengers died during the first winter.<ref>Addison (1911), pp 83-85</ref> As William Bradford wrote, "of these one hundred persons who came over in this first ship together, the greatest half died in the general mortality, and most of them in two or three months' time".<ref>{{cite web | url=http://etext.virginia.edu/users/deetz/Plymouth/Maydeaths.html | title=Mayflower Passenger Deaths, 1620-1621 | author=Patricia Scott Deetz | coauthors=James F. Deetz | work=The Plymouth Colony Archive Project | year=2000 | accessdate=2007-04-19}}</ref> Several of the graves on Cole's Hill were uncovered in 1855; their bodies were disinterred and moved to a site near Plymouth Rock.<ref>Addison (1911), pp 83</ref>

===Early relations with the Native Americans===

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Throughout the summer, as promised by Massasoit, numerous Native Americans arrived at Plymouth with pledges of peace. On July 2, a party of Pilgrims, led by Edward Winslow (who would himself become the chief diplomat of the colony), set out to continue negotiations with the chief. The delegation also included Squanto, who acted as a translator. Massasoit agreed to an exclusive trading pact with the English; thus the French, who were also frequent traders in the area, were no longer welcome. Squanto remained behind and traveled the area to establish trading relations with several tribes in the area.<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 104-109</ref>

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Humins' (1987) review of the role of Squanto in the relations between the Pilgrims and Indians during the early 1620s reveals that Squanto was not so much the primary facilitator of Pilgrim survival but was instead a power-hungry intermediary whose actions jeopardized the safety of the Plymouth Colony. Squanto's contribution to Pilgrim survival was significant as he had lived among Englishmen since 1614 and become a skilled and valuable communicator, but he consistently exceeded his authority as envoy to the Pilgrims on behalf of Massasoit, the leader of the Wampanoag Confederacy by whose grace the Pilgrims established their colony. As Squanto encouraged the Pilgrims to enter into trade relationships with the Massachusetts Indians who did not belong to the Wampanoag Confederacy, Squanto challenged Massasoit's leadership and offered dubious advice to the Pilgrims designed only to aid his own position among his people.<ref> John H. Humins, "Squanto and Massasoit: a Struggle for Power." ''New England Quarterly'' 1987 60(1): 54-70. Fulltext in Jstor </ref>

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Humins' (1987) review of the role of Squanto in the relations between the Pilgrims and Indians during the early 1620s reveals that Squanto was not so much the primary facilitator of Pilgrim survival but was instead a power-hungry intermediary whose actions jeopardized the safety of the Plymouth Colony. Squanto's contribution to Pilgrim survival was significant as he had lived among Englishmen since 1614 and become a skilled and valuable communicator, but he consistently exceeded his authority as envoy to the Pilgrims on behalf of Massasoit, the leader of the Wampanoag Confederacy by whose grace the Pilgrims established their colony. As Squanto encouraged the Pilgrims to enter into trade relationships with the Massachusetts Indians who did not belong to the Wampanoag Confederacy, Squanto challenged Massasoit's leadership and offered dubious advice to the Pilgrims designed only to aid his own position among his people.<ref>John H. Humins, "Squanto and Massasoit: a Struggle for Power." ''New England Quarterly'' 1987 60(1): 54-70. Fulltext in Jstor</ref>

In May 1622 ships arrived from the Merchant Adventurers seeking a site for a new settlement in the area. They briefly settled [[Wessagussett]] (now near [[Weymouth, Massachusetts]]), then moved to Plymouth. Attacks back and forth caused the fur trade to end, which meant the Pilgrims lost revenue to pay off their debts to the Merchant Adventurers.

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In November 1621, a second ship sent by the Merchant Adventurers arrived. It also carried a letter from the Merchant Adventurers chastising the colony for failure to return goods with the ''Mayflower'' that had been promised in return for their support. The ''Fortune'' began its return to England laden with ₤500 worth of goods, more than enough to keep the colonists on schedule for repayment of their debt, however the Fortune was captured by the French before she could deliver her cargo to England, creating an even larger deficit for the colony.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 123-126, 134</ref>

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In July 1623, two more ships arrived, carrying 90 new settlers, among them Leideners, including William Bradford's future wife, Alice. Some of the settlers were unprepared for frontier life and returned to England the next year. In September 1623, another ship carrying settlers destined to re-found the failed colony at Weymouth arrived and temporarily stayed at Plymouth. In March 1624, a ship bearing a few additional settlers and the first cattle arrived. In 1627 the settlers bought out the Merchant Adventurers in London, who lost money on their investment. A 1627 division of cattle lists 156 colonists divided into twelve lots of thirteen colonists each. Another ship also named the ''Mayflower'' arrived in August 1629 with 35 additional members of the Leiden congregation. Ships arrived periodically throughout 1629-1630 carrying numbers of passengers. By January 1630, the colony had almost 300 people. By 1643 the colony had an estimated 600 males fit for military service, implying a total population of about 1500-2000. By 1690, the estimated total population of Plymouth County, the most populous, was 3055 people, and around 7000 in all.<ref>Leach (1951) </ref> For comparison it is estimated that between 1630-1640, a period known as the "Great Migration," over 20,000 settlers had arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony alone, and by 1678 the English population of all of New England was estimated to be in the range of 60,000. Plymouth was the first colony in the region but by 1690 was much smaller than Massachusetts Bay Colony in terms of population.

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In July 1623, two more ships arrived, carrying 90 new settlers, among them Leideners, including William Bradford's future wife, Alice. Some of the settlers were unprepared for frontier life and returned to England the next year. In September 1623, another ship carrying settlers destined to re-found the failed colony at Weymouth arrived and temporarily stayed at Plymouth. In March 1624, a ship bearing a few additional settlers and the first cattle arrived. In 1627 the settlers bought out the Merchant Adventurers in London, who lost money on their investment. A 1627 division of cattle lists 156 colonists divided into twelve lots of thirteen colonists each. Another ship also named the ''Mayflower'' arrived in August 1629 with 35 additional members of the Leiden congregation. Ships arrived periodically throughout 1629-1630 carrying numbers of passengers. By January 1630, the colony had almost 300 people. By 1643 the colony had an estimated 600 males fit for military service, implying a total population of about 1500-2000. By 1690, the estimated total population of Plymouth County, the most populous, was 3055 people, and around 7000 in all.<ref>Leach (1951)</ref> For comparison it is estimated that between 1630-1640, a period known as the "Great Migration," over 20,000 settlers had arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony alone, and by 1678 the English population of all of New England was estimated to be in the range of 60,000. Plymouth was the first colony in the region but by 1690 was much smaller than Massachusetts Bay Colony in terms of population.

===Military History===

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Plymouth Colony did not have a royal charter authorizing them to form any government. Still, some means of government was needed, and the first document to establish one was the Mayflower Compact, signed by the 41 able-bodied men aboard the Mayflower upon their arrival in Provincetown Harbor on November 21, 1620. It stayed in effect as the primary governing document until the first formal codification of laws in 1636. Before that time, and indeed for the life of the colony, the laws of Plymouth were based on a hybrid form of English [[Common Law]] and religious law as laid out in the [[Bible]]. <ref name=plymlegal/>

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Plymouth Colony did not have a royal charter authorizing them to form any government. Still, some means of government was needed, and the first document to establish one was the Mayflower Compact, signed by the 41 able-bodied men aboard the Mayflower upon their arrival in Provincetown Harbor on November 21, 1620. It stayed in effect as the primary governing document until the first formal codification of laws in 1636. Before that time, and indeed for the life of the colony, the laws of Plymouth were based on a hybrid form of English [[Common Law]] and religious law as laid out in the [[Bible]].<ref name=plymlegal/>

The colony recognized all "freemen" as full male citizens of the colony with full rights and privileges in voting and holding office. The original group of freemen were the original adult male settlers from the Mayflower. Later adult males were made freemen by sponsorship of an existing freemen and acceptance by the General Court. Later restriction enabled a one-year waiting period between nomination and acceptance of freemen status, and also placed religious restrictions, specifically preventing [[Quakers]] from becoming freemen.<ref name=plymlegal/> Freemen status was also restricted by age; while the official minimum age was 21, in practical terms most men were elevated to freemen status between the ages of 25 and 40, averaging somewhere in the early thirties.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 148</ref>

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In acting in its judicial duties, it would periodically call a "Grand Enquest", which was a grand jury of sorts, elected from the freemen, who would hear complaints and swear out indictments for credible accusations. The General Court, and later lesser town and county courts, would preside over trials of accused criminals and over civil matters, with the decisions made by a jury of freemen.<ref name=plymlegal/>

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As a legislative body, the General Court would make proclamations of law periodically as needed. In the early years, these laws were not formally compiled anywhere. In 1636 the first organization of these laws was realized in the 1636 Book of Laws. The book was reissued in 1658, 1672, and 1685.<ref name=plymlegal/> Among these laws included the right to levy "rates", or taxes, and distribution of colony lands.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 7</ref> Control of land distribution was of particular concern. It established townships as a means of providing local government over settlements, but reserved for itself the right to control specific distribution of land to individuals within those towns. When new land was granted to a freeman, it was directed that only the person to whom the land was granted was allowed to settle it.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 10</ref>. As well, it was forbidden for individual settlers to purchase land from Indians without formal permission from the General Court.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 14</ref>

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As a legislative body, the General Court would make proclamations of law periodically as needed. In the early years, these laws were not formally compiled anywhere. In 1636 the first organization of these laws was realized in the 1636 Book of Laws. The book was reissued in 1658, 1672, and 1685.<ref name=plymlegal/> Among these laws included the right to levy "rates", or taxes, and distribution of colony lands.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 7</ref> Control of land distribution was of particular concern. It established townships as a means of providing local government over settlements, but reserved for itself the right to control specific distribution of land to individuals within those towns. When new land was granted to a freeman, it was directed that only the person to whom the land was granted was allowed to settle it.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 10</ref> As well, it was forbidden for individual settlers to purchase land from Indians without formal permission from the General Court.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 14</ref>

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The laws also set out crimes and associated punishments. There were several crimes that mandated the [[capital punishment|death penalty]]: [[treason]], [[murder]], [[witchcraft]], [[arson]], [[sodomy]], [[rape]], [[bestiality|buggery]], [[adultery]], and cursing or smiting one's parents.<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 133 cite the first eight examples (treason-adultery), Demos (1970) pp 100 mentions the last</ref>. The actual exercise of the death penalty was fairly rare. Only one sex-related crime, a 1642 incidence of buggery (sex with animals) by Thomas Granger, resulted in death.<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 135</ref> One person, Edward Bumpus, was sentenced to death for "striking and abusing his parents" in 1679, but his sentence was commuted to a severe whipping, for reason of insanity.<ref>Demos (1970) pp 102. Bumpus's actual sentence was to be "whipt att the post", with the note that "hee was crasey brained, ortherwise hee had bine put to death."</ref>. Perhaps the most notable use of the death penalty was in the execution of the Indians convicted of the murder of John Sassamon, the direct cause of King Philip's War.<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 223</ref>

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The laws also set out crimes and associated punishments. There were several crimes that mandated the [[capital punishment|death penalty]]: [[treason]], [[murder]], [[witchcraft]], [[arson]], [[sodomy]], [[rape]], [[bestiality|buggery]], [[adultery]], and cursing or smiting one's parents.<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 133 cite the first eight examples (treason-adultery), Demos (1970) pp 100 mentions the last</ref> The actual exercise of the death penalty was fairly rare. Only one sex-related crime, a 1642 incidence of buggery (sex with animals) by Thomas Granger, resulted in death.<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 135</ref> One person, Edward Bumpus, was sentenced to death for "striking and abusing his parents" in 1679, but his sentence was commuted to a severe whipping, for reason of insanity.<ref>Demos (1970) pp 102. Bumpus's actual sentence was to be "whipt att the post", with the note that "hee was crasey brained, ortherwise hee had bine put to death."</ref> Perhaps the most notable use of the death penalty was in the execution of the Indians convicted of the murder of John Sassamon, the direct cause of King Philip's War.<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 223</ref>

Adultery was usually dealt with by public humiliation. The standard punishment was for the convicted adulterers to wear the letters "A.D." sewn into their garments, much in the manner of [[Hester Prynne]] in [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]]'s novel ''The Scarlet Letter''.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 96-98; Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 143</ref>

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The most important religious figure in the colony was [[John Robinson]], the original pastor of the Scrooby congregation and leader throughout the Leiden years. Though he never actually set foot in New England, much of his theological pronouncements, later collected in 1853 by Robert Ashton as ''The Works of John Robinson'',<ref>Demos (1970), foreword pp x.</ref> were important to establishing the nature and character of the Plymouth church. Among Robinson's pronouncements were on the roles of women and men. It was in the natural order that women and men have differing roles in the household, though neither was lesser in the eyes of God. Robinson's views were not purely egalitarian, as he frequently assigned inferior characteristics to the feminine roles, and noted that they should be under the "subjection" of their husbands.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 83-84</ref> Robinson also made pronouncements on the proper methods of child rearing, and prescribed a strict upbringing with a strong emphasis on corporal punishment. Robinson clearly believed that a child's natural inclination towards independence was a manifestation of the original sin, and thus was to be repressed at all costs.<ref>Demos (1970) pp 134-136</ref>

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The Pilgrims themselves were a subset of an English religious movement known as [[Puritanism]], which sought to "purify" the [[Anglican Church]] of its secular trappings. The movement sought to return the church to a more primitive state, and to practice Christianity as was done by the earliest Church Fathers. It held that the Bible was the only source of religious teaching, and that any additions made to Christianity since the Bible, especially with regard to church hierarchy, had no place in Christian practice. The Pilgrims distinguished themselves from the Puritans in that they sought to "separate" themselves from the Anglican Church, rather than reform it from within. It was this desire to worship from outside of the Anglican Communion that led them first to the Netherlands and ultimately to New England.<ref> Richard Howland Maxwell, "Pilgrim and Puritan : a Delicate Distinction" (2003) [http://www.pilgrimhall.org/PSNoteNewPilgrimPuritan.htm Pilgrim Hall Museum] </ref>

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The Pilgrims themselves were a subset of an English religious movement known as [[Puritanism]], which sought to "purify" the [[Anglican Church]] of its secular trappings. The movement sought to return the church to a more primitive state, and to practice Christianity as was done by the earliest Church Fathers. It held that the Bible was the only source of religious teaching, and that any additions made to Christianity since the Bible, especially with regard to church hierarchy, had no place in Christian practice. The Pilgrims distinguished themselves from the Puritans in that they sought to "separate" themselves from the Anglican Church, rather than reform it from within. It was this desire to worship from outside of the Anglican Communion that led them first to the Netherlands and ultimately to New England.<ref>Richard Howland Maxwell, "Pilgrim and Puritan : a Delicate Distinction" (2003) [http://www.pilgrimhall.org/PSNoteNewPilgrimPuritan.htm Pilgrim Hall Museum]</ref>

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Each town in the colony was also considered a single church congregation; in later years some of the larger towns split into two or three congregations. While church attendance was mandatory for all residents of the colony, church membership was restricted to those that received God's grace through a personal conversion event. In Plymouth Colony, it seems that a simple [[Profession (religious)|profession of faith]] was all that was required for acceptance. This was a rather more liberal than other Puritan congregations, such as those of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where it was common to subject those seeking formal membership to strict and detailed cross-examination. Individual congregations were left to their own affairs. There was no central governing body for the churches. Each church was left to determine its own standards of membership, hire its own ministers, and conduct its own business. <ref>Demos (1970), pp 8</ref>

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Each town in the colony was also considered a single church congregation; in later years some of the larger towns split into two or three congregations. While church attendance was mandatory for all residents of the colony, church membership was restricted to those that received God's grace through a personal conversion event. In Plymouth Colony, it seems that a simple [[Profession (religious)|profession of faith]] was all that was required for acceptance. This was a rather more liberal than other Puritan congregations, such as those of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where it was common to subject those seeking formal membership to strict and detailed cross-examination. Individual congregations were left to their own affairs. There was no central governing body for the churches. Each church was left to determine its own standards of membership, hire its own ministers, and conduct its own business.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 8</ref>

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The church was undoubtedly the most important social institution in the colony. Not only was the bible the primary religious document of the society, it served as a primary legal document as well.<ref name=plymlegal> {{cite web | last = Fennell | first = Christopher | title = Plymouth Colony Legal Structure | publisher = The Plymouth Colony Archive Project | date = 1998 | url = http://etext.virginia.edu/users/deetz/Plymouth/ccflaw.html | accessdate = 2007-04-02}}</ref>. Church attendance was mandatory, and church membership was socially vital. Education was carried out for almost purely religious purposes. The laws of the colony specifically asked parents to provide for the education of their children, to "at least to be able duely to read the Scriptures" and to understand "the main Grounds and Principles of Christian Religion". It was expected that the male head of the household was primarily responsible for the religious well being of all members of his household, children and servants alike.<ref>Demos 1970, pp 104-106, 140</ref>

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The church was undoubtedly the most important social institution in the colony. Not only was the bible the primary religious document of the society, it served as a primary legal document as well.<ref name=plymlegal>{{cite web | last = Fennell | first = Christopher | title = Plymouth Colony Legal Structure | publisher = The Plymouth Colony Archive Project | date = 1998 | url = http://etext.virginia.edu/users/deetz/Plymouth/ccflaw.html | accessdate = 2007-04-02}}</ref> Church attendance was mandatory, and church membership was socially vital. Education was carried out for almost purely religious purposes. The laws of the colony specifically asked parents to provide for the education of their children, to "at least to be able duely to read the Scriptures" and to understand "the main Grounds and Principles of Christian Religion". It was expected that the male head of the household was primarily responsible for the religious well being of all members of his household, children and servants alike.<ref>Demos 1970, pp 104-106, 140</ref>

Most churches utilized two acts to sanction its members: censure and excommunication. Censure was a formal reprimand for behavior that was not in line with accepted religious and social norms, while excommunication included full removal from church membership. Many social evils, from fornication to public drunkenness, were dealt with in the confines of church sanction, and many church sanctions had no official recognition outside of the confines of church membership. While often no civil or criminal proceedings would result from these sanctions, it was still a powerful tool of social control.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 8-9</ref>

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[[Edward Winslow]] and Susanna White, each of who lost their spouses during the harsh winter of 1620-1621, became the first couple to be married in Plymouth. Governor Bradford presided over the civil ceremony.

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Marriage was considered the normal state for all adult residents of the colony. Most males first married in their mid-twenties, for women it was about five years earlier.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 151</ref>. Second marriages were not uncommon, and widows and widowers did not remain so for long. On average, most widows and widowers remarried within six months to a year. As most adults who reached marriageable age often lived into their sixties, two-thirds of a person's life was spent in a state of matrimony.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 66.</ref>

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Marriage was considered the normal state for all adult residents of the colony. Most males first married in their mid-twenties, for women it was about five years earlier.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 151</ref> Second marriages were not uncommon, and widows and widowers did not remain so for long. On average, most widows and widowers remarried within six months to a year. As most adults who reached marriageable age often lived into their sixties, two-thirds of a person's life was spent in a state of matrimony.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 66.</ref>

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Women would occasionally sit on juries in Plymouth, a remarkable circumstance in seventeenth century legal practice. Historians James and Patricia Scott Deetz cite a 1678 inquest into the death of Anne Batson's child, where the jury was composed of 5 women and seven men.<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 99-100</ref>

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Family size was large by modern standards. Demos (1970) reports that the size of the average household size grew as time passed in Plymouth colony, with the average of 7.8 children per family for first-generation families, 8.6 children for second-generation families, and 9.3 for third-generation families. Child mortality also decreased over this time, with 7.2 children born to first-generation families living until their 21st birthday. The number increased to 7.9 children by the third generation.<ref> John Demos ''A Little Commonwealth''(1970), Appendices, pp 192-194</ref> Childbirth was often spaced out, with an average of two years between children. Most families averaged five to six children living under the same roof, though it would not be uncommon one family to have grown children moving out before the mother had finished giving birth. One birth in thirty resulted in the death of the mother, resulting in one in five women dying in childbirth.<ref>Demos (1970), 64-69</ref>

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Family size was large by modern standards. Demos (1970) reports that the size of the average household size grew as time passed in Plymouth colony, with the average of 7.8 children per family for first-generation families, 8.6 children for second-generation families, and 9.3 for third-generation families. Child mortality also decreased over this time, with 7.2 children born to first-generation families living until their 21st birthday. The number increased to 7.9 children by the third generation.<ref>John Demos ''A Little Commonwealth''(1970), Appendices, pp 192-194</ref> Childbirth was often spaced out, with an average of two years between children. Most families averaged five to six children living under the same roof, though it would not be uncommon one family to have grown children moving out before the mother had finished giving birth. One birth in thirty resulted in the death of the mother, resulting in one in five women dying in childbirth.<ref>Demos (1970), 64-69</ref>

Most households followed the [[nuclear family]] model of parents and minor children living under the same roof, and while extended families may have lived nearby, it was expected that upon reaching the age of maturity, older children would move out and establish their own households. In addition to parents and birth children living in the same household, many families took in children from other families, or hired [[indentured servant]]s. Some of the more wealthy families owned [[slave]]s.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 62-81</ref>

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===Customs and daily life===

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Samuel Fuller was a deacon when he left for America on the Mayflower in 1620, and he intended to become a fisherman when he arrived, but by 1629 he was working in a medical capacity despite his lack of formal qualifications. In ''New English Canaan'' (1637), Thomas Morton condemned Fuller's lack of education, his inappropriate appearance, his seemingly disreputable method of diagnosis, and his possibly injurious treatment of patients. However, Fuller was trusted, dedicated, and had studied the available texts; his dress may have been idiosyncratic but was not outlandish; Morton's report of his diagnostic methods has been discredited; and his treatments were those of many formally trained physicians in similar cases. Morton's charges probably stemmed more from his desire to discredit the colony than from anything about Fuller himself.<ref> Norman Gevitz, "Samuel Fuller of Plymouth Plantation: a 'Skillful Physician' or 'Quacksalver'?" ''Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences'' 1992 47(1): 29-48. Issn: 0022-5045 </ref>

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Samuel Fuller was a deacon when he left for America on the Mayflower in 1620, and he intended to become a fisherman when he arrived, but by 1629 he was working in a medical capacity despite his lack of formal qualifications. In ''New English Canaan'' (1637), Thomas Morton condemned Fuller's lack of education, his inappropriate appearance, his seemingly disreputable method of diagnosis, and his possibly injurious treatment of patients. However, Fuller was trusted, dedicated, and had studied the available texts; his dress may have been idiosyncratic but was not outlandish; Morton's report of his diagnostic methods has been discredited; and his treatments were those of many formally trained physicians in similar cases. Morton's charges probably stemmed more from his desire to discredit the colony than from anything about Fuller himself.<ref>Norman Gevitz, "Samuel Fuller of Plymouth Plantation: a 'Skillful Physician' or 'Quacksalver'?" ''Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences'' 1992 47(1): 29-48. Issn: 0022-5045</ref>

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Separatists in late-16th- and 17th-century London, Amsterdam, and Plymouth Colony were embroiled in controversy over the bounds of decent womanly apparel, speech, and actions. George Johnson criticized his sister-in-law Thomasine Johnson for pride and immodesty in her attire and demeanor. George's criticisms reflected Separatist beliefs in "visible sainthood," which located morality in the soul and linked it with the body's appearance and conduct. The controversy that swirled around Thomasine Johnson and her apparel raged from 1594 to 1599, when Francis Johnson excommunicated George and their father, John, over this issue. The controversy continued to agitate Separatist congregations in Amsterdam and Plymouth Colony well into the 17th century, when William Bradford included the story in his 1648 ''Dialogue.''<ref>Finch (2005)</ref>,

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Separatists in late-16th- and 17th-century London, Amsterdam, and Plymouth Colony were embroiled in controversy over the bounds of decent womanly apparel, speech, and actions. George Johnson criticized his sister-in-law Thomasine Johnson for pride and immodesty in her attire and demeanor. George's criticisms reflected Separatist beliefs in "visible sainthood," which located morality in the soul and linked it with the body's appearance and conduct. The controversy that swirled around Thomasine Johnson and her apparel raged from 1594 to 1599, when Francis Johnson excommunicated George and their father, John, over this issue. The controversy continued to agitate Separatist congregations in Amsterdam and Plymouth Colony well into the 17th century, when William Bradford included the story in his 1648 ''Dialogue.'',<ref>Finch (2005)</ref>

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Donegan (2002) examines William Bradford's classic account ''Of Plymouth Plantation'' (~~1630-48~~) to show how coloniality emerged from times of catastrophe and bodily unsettlement. Bradford used the suffering body "as a vehicle for talking about what it meant to be colonial." The body, which had been a way to understand and give meaning to the material world, was shaken by colonial dislocation and became a site of fragmentation and confusion while still serving as a central mediator between interior and exterior.<ref> Kathleen Donegan, "'As Dying, Yet Behold We Live': Catastrophe and Interiority in Bradford's of Plymouth Plantation." ''Early American Literature'' 2002 37(1): 9-37. Issn: 0012-8163 Fulltext: at Project Muse, Swetswise and Ebsco </ref>

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Donegan (2002) examines William Bradford's classic account ''Of Plymouth Plantation'' (1630–48) to show how coloniality emerged from times of catastrophe and bodily unsettlement. Bradford used the suffering body "as a vehicle for talking about what it meant to be colonial." The body, which had been a way to understand and give meaning to the material world, was shaken by colonial dislocation and became a site of fragmentation and confusion while still serving as a central mediator between interior and exterior.<ref>Kathleen Donegan, "'As Dying, Yet Behold We Live': Catastrophe and Interiority in Bradford's of Plymouth Plantation." ''Early American Literature'' 2002 37(1): 9-37. Issn: 0012-8163 Fulltext: at Project Muse, Swetswise and Ebsco</ref>

====The "First Thanksgiving"====

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What is called "The First [[Thanksgiving]]" was not known as such to the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims did recognize a celebration known as a "Thanksgiving", which was a solemn ceremony of praise and thanks to God for a congregation's good fortune. The first such Thanksgiving as the Pilgrims would have called it did not occur until 1623, in response to the good news of the arrival of additional colonists and supplies. That event probably occurred in July and consisted of a full day of prayer and worship and probably very little reverie.<ref> Carolyn Freeman Travers, "Fast and Thanksgiving Days of Plymouth Colony," [http://plimoth.org/discover/thanksgiving/fastandthanks.php Plimoth Plantation] </ref>

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What is called "The First [[Thanksgiving]]" was not known as such to the Pilgrims. The Pilgrims did recognize a celebration known as a "Thanksgiving", which was a solemn ceremony of praise and thanks to God for a congregation's good fortune. The first such Thanksgiving as the Pilgrims would have called it did not occur until 1623, in response to the good news of the arrival of additional colonists and supplies. That event probably occurred in July and consisted of a full day of prayer and worship and probably very little reverie.<ref>Carolyn Freeman Travers, "Fast and Thanksgiving Days of Plymouth Colony," [http://plimoth.org/discover/thanksgiving/fastandthanks.php Plimoth Plantation]</ref>

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The event now commemorated at the end of November each year is more properly termed a "harvest festival". The event was held probably in early October and was celebrated by the 51 surviving Pilgrims, along with Massasoit and 90 of his men. Two contemporary accounts of the event survive: ''Of Plimoth Plantation'' by William Bradford as well as ''Mourt's Relation'' by Edward Winslow. The celebration lasted three days and featured a feast that included numerous types of waterfowl, wild turkeys and fish procured by the colonists, as well as five deer brought by the Native Americans.<ref> See "Primary Sources for 'The First Thanksgiving' at Plymouth" (1998) at [http://www.pilgrimhall.org/1stthnks.htm online] </ref>

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The event now commemorated at the end of November each year is more properly termed a "harvest festival". The event was held probably in early October and was celebrated by the 51 surviving Pilgrims, along with Massasoit and 90 of his men. Two contemporary accounts of the event survive: ''Of Plimoth Plantation'' by William Bradford as well as ''Mourt's Relation'' by Edward Winslow. The celebration lasted three days and featured a feast that included numerous types of waterfowl, wild turkeys and fish procured by the colonists, as well as five deer brought by the Native Americans.<ref>See "Primary Sources for 'The First Thanksgiving' at Plymouth" (1998) at [http://www.pilgrimhall.org/1stthnks.htm online]</ref>

===Black Slaves===

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The largest source of wealth for Plymouth Colony was the fur trade. The disruption of this trade caused by Miles Standish's raid at Wessagusset created great hardship for the colonists for many years to come, and was directly cited by William Bradford as a contributing factor to the colonists economic difficulties in their early years. The colonists attempted commercial fishing. They failed; although there were plenty of fish but a shortage of fishermen skills.<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 136</ref> The colony traded throughout the region, establishing trading posts as far away as [[Penobscot, Maine]]. They also were frequent trading partners with the Dutch at [[New Amsterdam]].<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 199-200</ref>

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The economic situation improved with the arrival of cattle in the colony. It is unknown when the first cattle arrived, but the division of land for the grazing of cattle in 1627 represented one of the first moves towards private land ownership in the colony.<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 77-78.</ref>. Cattle became an important source of wealth in the colony; the average cow was selling for ₤20-28 apiece in 1638. However, the flood of immigrants during the Great Migration drove the price of cattle down, causing a collapse of the Plymouth economy. Besides cattle, there were also pigs, sheep, and goats raised in the colony. The introduction of European animals had a major impact on the landscape, as the Pilgrims removed forests and built farms and feces, and later dams.<ref> William Cronon, ''Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England'' (2003) </ref>

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The economic situation improved with the arrival of cattle in the colony. It is unknown when the first cattle arrived, but the division of land for the grazing of cattle in 1627 represented one of the first moves towards private land ownership in the colony.<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 77-78.</ref> Cattle became an important source of wealth in the colony; the average cow was selling for ₤20-28 apiece in 1638. However, the flood of immigrants during the Great Migration drove the price of cattle down, causing a collapse of the Plymouth economy. Besides cattle, there were also pigs, sheep, and goats raised in the colony. The introduction of European animals had a major impact on the landscape, as the Pilgrims removed forests and built farms and feces, and later dams.<ref>William Cronon, ''Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England'' (2003)</ref>

Agriculture was central to the economy. The colonists adopted Native American agricultural practices and crops. They planted [[maize|corn]], [[squash (food)|squash]], [[pumpkin]], [[beans]], and [[potato]]. Besides the crops themselves, the Pilgrims learned valuable farming techniques from the Native Americans, such as proper crop rotation, and the use of dead fish to fertilize the soil. Besides the native crops, the colonists also successfully planted Old World crops such as turnips, carrots, peas, wheat, barley, and oats.

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In the early years, sea travel between Duxbury and Marshfield proved to be hazardous and slow. In 1633 John Shaw (1596-1668) and his partners made an agreement with the General Court to build canal for an inland water route from Plymouth to the town of Hanover. A great success, it was enlarged four years later and is still in existence.

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Much of William Bradford's ''Of Plymouth Plantation'' (~~1630-48~~) treats the financial affairs of the colonists, especially in relation to the English investors who backed the colony. Bradford's views on finances and economics are central to his work because they indicate his attitudes toward the burgeoning culture of colonial commerce in which Plymouth Colony was deeply enmeshed, but that clashed with some aspects of Puritan values. The "plain style" Bradford used in his work reflects a Puritan emphasis on truthful uses of language, but it also demonstrates his familiarity with a set of beliefs common throughout English colonial and domestic culture that identified complex uses of language with the deceptive business practices of merchants.<ref> Michelle Burnham, "Merchants, Money, and the Economics of 'Plain Style' in William Bradford's ''Of Plymouth Plantation''." ''American Literature'' 2000 72(4): 695-720. Issn: 0002-9831 Fulltext: in Project Muse, Swetswise and Ebsco</ref>

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Much of William Bradford's ''Of Plymouth Plantation'' (1630–48) treats the financial affairs of the colonists, especially in relation to the English investors who backed the colony. Bradford's views on finances and economics are central to his work because they indicate his attitudes toward the burgeoning culture of colonial commerce in which Plymouth Colony was deeply enmeshed, but that clashed with some aspects of Puritan values. The "plain style" Bradford used in his work reflects a Puritan emphasis on truthful uses of language, but it also demonstrates his familiarity with a set of beliefs common throughout English colonial and domestic culture that identified complex uses of language with the deceptive business practices of merchants.<ref>Michelle Burnham, "Merchants, Money, and the Economics of 'Plain Style' in William Bradford's ''Of Plymouth Plantation''." ''American Literature'' 2000 72(4): 695-720. Issn: 0002-9831 Fulltext: in Project Muse, Swetswise and Ebsco</ref>

==Legacy==

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The earliest artistic depiction of the Pilgrims was actually done before their arrival in America, as Dutch painter [[Adam Willaerts]] painted a portrait of their departure from Delfshaven in 1620.<ref>Philbrick 2006, pg 22</ref> The same scene was recreated by [[Robert W. Weir|Robert Walter Weir]] in 1844, and hangs in the Rotunda of the [[United States Capitol]] building. Numerous other paintings have been created memorializing various scenes from the life of Pilgrim Colony, including their landing and the "First Thanksgiving", many of which have been collected by [[Pilgrim Hall]], a museum and historical society founded in 1824 to preserve the history of Plymouth Colony.<ref>{{cite web | title = History Paintings | publisher = Pilgrim Hall | date = 1998 | url = http://www.pilgrimhall.org/hispaint.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-05}}</ref>

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Several contemporary accounts of life in Plymouth Colony have become both vital primary historical documents and literary classics. ''[[Of Plymouth Plantation|Of Plimoth Plantation]]'' by William Bradford and ''[[Mourt's Relation]]'' by Bradford, Edward Winslow, and others and published by [[George Morton]] are both accounts written by ''Mayflower'' passengers which provide much of the information we have today regarding the trans-Atlantic voyage and early years of the settlement. Benjamin Church wrote several accounts of King Philip's War, including ''Entertaining Passages Relating to Philip's War'', which remained popular for a century; one edition was illustrated by [[Paul Revere]] in 1772. One of the most famous memoirs in American letters is [[Mary Rowlandson]]'s ''A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, or The Sovereignty and Goodness of God'' (1677), a penetrating and deeply religious account of how she was captured, her children murdered and herself held hostage by Indians as part of their warfare against the whites during of King Philip's War.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 75, 288, 357-358; Mitchell Breitwieser, ''American Puritanism and the Defense of Mourning: Religion, Grief, and Ethnology in Mary White Rowlandson's Captivity Narrative'' (1990). </ref> Later works, such as "[[The Courtship of Miles Standish]]" by [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]], have provided a romantic and partially fictionalized account of life in Plymouth Colony.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 354</ref>

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Several contemporary accounts of life in Plymouth Colony have become both vital primary historical documents and literary classics. ''[[Of Plymouth Plantation|Of Plimoth Plantation]]'' by William Bradford and ''[[Mourt's Relation]]'' by Bradford, Edward Winslow, and others and published by [[George Morton]] are both accounts written by ''Mayflower'' passengers which provide much of the information we have today regarding the trans-Atlantic voyage and early years of the settlement. Benjamin Church wrote several accounts of King Philip's War, including ''Entertaining Passages Relating to Philip's War'', which remained popular for a century; one edition was illustrated by [[Paul Revere]] in 1772. One of the most famous memoirs in American letters is [[Mary Rowlandson]]'s ''A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, or The Sovereignty and Goodness of God'' (1677), a penetrating and deeply religious account of how she was captured, her children murdered and herself held hostage by Indians as part of their warfare against the whites during of King Philip's War.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 75, 288, 357-358; Mitchell Breitwieser, ''American Puritanism and the Defense of Mourning: Religion, Grief, and Ethnology in Mary White Rowlandson's Captivity Narrative'' (1990).</ref> Later works, such as "[[The Courtship of Miles Standish]]" by [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]], have provided a romantic and partially fictionalized account of life in Plymouth Colony.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 354</ref>

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Films about the Pilgrims have also been numerous, including the several filmed versions of "The Courtship of Miles Standish",<ref> {{cite web | title = IMDB search: Miles Standish | publisher = IMDB | url = http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=miles+standish | accessdate = 2007-04-05}}</ref>, the 1952 film ''[[Plymouth Adventure]]'' starring [[Spencer Tracy]], and,<ref> {{cite web | title = Plymouth Adventure (1952) | publisher = IMDB | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045039/ | accessdate = 2007-04-05}}</ref> and the 2006 [[History Channel]] produced TV documentary "Desperate Crossings:The True Story of the Mayflower".<ref> {{cite web | title = The Mayflower (2006) | publisher = IMDB | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493146/ | accessdate = 2007-04-05}}</ref>

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Films about the Pilgrims have also been numerous, including the several filmed versions of "The Courtship of Miles Standish",<ref>{{cite web | title = IMDB search: Miles Standish | publisher = IMDB | url = http://www.imdb.com/find?s=all&q=miles+standish | accessdate = 2007-04-05}}</ref> the 1952 film ''[[Plymouth Adventure]]'' starring [[Spencer Tracy]], and,<ref>{{cite web | title = Plymouth Adventure (1952) | publisher = IMDB | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045039/ | accessdate = 2007-04-05}}</ref> and the 2006 [[History Channel]] produced TV documentary "Desperate Crossings:The True Story of the Mayflower".<ref>{{cite web | title = The Mayflower (2006) | publisher = IMDB | url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493146/ | accessdate = 2007-04-05}}</ref>

===Thanksgiving===

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The first identification of Plymouth Rock as the actual landing site was in 1741 by 90-year old Thomas Faunce, himself the son of a settler who had arrived in Plymouth in 1623, three years after the supposed event. The rock was later covered by a solid-fill pier. In 1774, an attempt was made to excavate the Rock, but it broke in two. The severed piece was placed in the Town Square at the center of Plymouth. In 1880, the intact half of the rock was excavated from the pier, and the broken piece was reattached to it. Over the years, souvenir hunters have removed chunks from the rock, but the remains are now protected as part of the complex of living museums that includes the ''[[Mayflower II]]'', a recreation of the original ship, Plimoth Plantation, an historical reenactment of the original 1620 settlement, and the Wampanoag Homesite, which recreates a 17th century Indian village.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 351-356</ref>

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==See ~~Also~~==

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==See also==

* [[Strategic relocation]]

* [[Vote with your feet]]

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* Dow, George Francis. ''Every Day Life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony'' (Dover Publications, Inc., 1988)

* Finch, Martha L. "'Fashions of Worldly Dames': Separatist Discourses of Dress in Early Modern London, Amsterdam, and Plymouth Colony." ''Church History'' 2005 74(3): 494-533. Issn: 0009-6407 Fulltext: in Ebsco

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* Hart, Albert Bushnell, ed.''Commonwealth History of Massachusetts, Colony, Province and State'' (1927) - Vol. 1 ch 4[http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=61943861 online edition]

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* Hart, Albert Bushnell, ed.''Commonwealth History of Massachusetts, Colony, Province and State'' (1927) - Vol. 1 ch 4 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=61943861 online edition]

* King, H. Roger. ''Cape Cod and Plymouth Colony in the Seventeenth Century.'' University Press of America, 1994. 307 pp.

* Langdon, George D., Jr. ''Pilgrim Colony: A History of New Plymouth, 1620-91.'' Yale U.P., 1967.

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[[~~category~~:Colonial America]]

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[[Category:Colonial America]]

[[Category:New England]]

[[Category:Puritans]]

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[[~~category~~:Religion and Politics]]

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[[Category:Religion and Politics]]

[[Category:Strategic Relocation]]

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