Everyone knows the Mayflower as the famous ship that transported the English Separatists, or the Pilgrims, from Southampton, England, to Plymouth Massachusetts. This would later become the capital of Plymouth Colony in 1620. But besides knowing that this was the ship that brought the Pilgrims, do you know the history of the Mayflower? Here are some things about the Mayflower you may not already know.
• The Mayflower was used as a cargo ship. It was involved in active trade of goods, most often wine, between England and other European countries.
• Christopher Jones was the commander of the Mayflower between 1609 and 1622, and was manned by a crew.
• The first voyage of the Mayflower departed Southampton, England on August 5, 1620. The voyage was to be made in two vessels; one the Mayflower and the other the Speedwell. On this first voyage however the Speedwell developed a leak and had to be refitted at Dartmouth.
• The second attempt of the ships reached the Atlantic Ocean but was forced to return to Plymouth because of another leak. It was later found out that there was actually nothing wrong with the ship. The crew had sabotaged it in order to escape the long commitment of their contract.
• After several attempts, the final voyage was made with just the Mayflower alone on September 6, 1620.
• There were 102 passengers plus the crew on board. Families were allotted confined spaces for personal belongings. There were probably twenty five to thirty crew members along with other hired personnel. One of those men on board with the crew was the soon to be Governor William Bradford.
• The intended destination was near the Hudson River in North Virginia but the ship was forced off course due to weather. It ended up much farther north than intended resulting in the arrival at Cape Cod during the onset of an extremely harsh winter. The settlers had not received permission from anyone to settle here.
• The settlers signed the Mayflower Compact on November 11 in what is now known as Provincetown Harbor.
• During the winter most passengers stayed on boar the Mayflower, suffering an outbreak of several contagious diseases; scurvy, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. After the long winter there were only fifty three passengers left aboard alive; half the crew and half of the passengers.
• On April 5, 1621 the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth and returned to England where she arrived on May 6, 1621.
• Many may not know that there was a second Mayflower that made a voyage from London to Plymouth Colony in 1629 that carried twenty five passengers. This was a completely different ship than the original Mayflower that brought the first settlers over.
• There are several things in popular culture today that are symbolic and represent the famous Mayflower ship. Paul Simon wrote a song and mentions the ship in it as well as Bob Dylan. The Mayflower is the emblem of the English football club Plymouth Argyle F.C. Their nickname is the Pilgrims. And even the Brady bunch aired an episode revolving around the Pilgrims and the Mayflower.
The history of the Mayflower and the settlers, although rich with history, has even reached modern day society and still leaves its mark upon generations and generations of people.
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