4.2 Notes The Pilgrims’ Experience

The Pilgrim Experience  Puritans and Pilgrims o Puritans Puritans  Wanted to reform the Church of England  Believed the following:  that the church kept too many Catholic traditions  Bishops/priests had too much power  Bible was the most reliable source of power o Sect  Religious group of Puritans  Wanted to separate from the Church of England rather than reform it (called Separatists)  Formed own churches and were persecuted for doing so

Puritans

o Pilgrims  These are the Separatists  Left England and moved to the Netherlands (1607)  Dutch allowed them to practice their religion  William Bradford was one of their leaders  The Founding of Plymouth o Pilgrims were unhappy due to:  Children learning Dutch traditions  Having to do unskilled labor  Led to decision to go to America o Voyage to America  Established a joint-stock company with Merchants  Got permission from England to settle in Virginia  September 16, 1620, left for America (on Mayflower)

o Landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts o Knowing they were outside of Virginia colonial government, they formed their own Mayflower CompactMayflower Compact  Stated basic laws and social rules  1 st effort at self-government in the English Colonies o Half of the Pilgrims died in the first Winter -VideoVideo  Pilgrims and American Indians o Pilgrims met few Indians because dieases from previous Europeans killed them o Samoset and Squanto  Samoset spoke English (learned from previous exposure to English fisherman)  Squanto spoke English (captured by Spanish)  Showed them how to plant corn, fertilize soil, make peace with other Indian tribes. VideoVideo

Samoset and Squanto

 The Pilgrims Community o The First Thanksgiving  Due to good harvest, good health (better buildings)  Met with 90 Indians to Celebrate  Marked first year in surviving in their new colony o Trade  Fur traders, fishing, farming* o Family  Took 20 years to pay of price of land  Wanted large families for the sake of having more people to work on farm  Adopted orphaned children  Both children and indentured servants educated  Women had more legal rights and could sign contracts  Second Year at Plymouth Second Year at Plymouth

The First Thanksgiving