Early Challenges and the First Thanksgiving

The Pilgrim Fathers faced immense hardships upon their arrival in the New World. Reaching Plymouth Colony during winter presented numerous challenges:

• Unfamiliarity with the territory
• Depleted food stocks
• Frozen ground making agriculture difficult

Despite some assistance from Native Americans, the colonists struggled to survive. A devastating epidemic of pneumonia and tuberculosis claimed the lives of half the original crew, leaving only 52 survivors and two babies born during the voyage.

Initial encounters with the Amerindians were tense, with natives attacking out of fear of the newcomers. However, relations improved significantly thanks to two key figures:

1. Squanto: An Amerindian who had previously been imprisoned in England, escaped, and returned to America.
2. Samoset: Another native who helped facilitate communication.

These individuals played crucial roles in teaching the Pilgrims essential survival skills:

• What crops to cultivate and how to grow them
• Ideal locations for fishing and hunting

In gratitude for this assistance, William Bradford (who became governor from 1621 to 1656 following Carver's death) organized a three-day feast in November 1621. This celebration, attended by Massasoit (the leader of the local Native Americans) and 90 other natives, is now recognized as the first Thanksgiving.

Highlight: The first Thanksgiving in 1621 was a celebration of survival and cooperation between the Pilgrims and Native Americans, laying the foundation for what would become a national holiday centuries later.

Definition: Thanksgiving origine résumé: The origins of Thanksgiving can be traced back to this 1621 celebration, which was a harvest festival expressing gratitude for survival and assistance from Native Americans.

Gradually, with continued support from both Native Americans and Europe, Plymouth Colony developed and thrived. Today, the Pilgrim Fathers are considered among the Founding Fathers of the United States, their journey on the Mayflower and subsequent establishment of Plymouth Colony marking the beginning of permanent European settlement in New England.

The Mayflower's Journey and the Pilgrim Fathers

The Mayflower's voyage in 1620 was a result of religious conflict in 17th century England. A group of English Puritans, facing discrimination for their beliefs, decided to seek a new life in America. These Puritans, known as the Pilgrim Fathers, embarked on the Mayflower in hopes of establishing a community free from religious persecution.

The reasons for the Mayflower's departure were deeply rooted in the religious and political climate of England at the time. During the 17th century, some Christians converted to Protestantism and then to Puritanism, disagreeing with principles of classic Christianity. These Puritans, later called English dissenters, began building their own churches and educational institutions, and praying in private. Their desire for a Protestant reform of all religions in the United Kingdom led to conflict with the established order.

Highlight: King James I (1603-1625) created a law designating Puritans as outlaws and revolutionaries, aiming to maintain his authority and calm the population.

The Puritans faced severe discrimination on multiple fronts:

• Religious: Their faith was forbidden
• Economic: They were forced to pay fees for not attending established churches
• Social: They faced aggression from the general population

Many Puritans were executed or exiled. Those who survived often fled to Leiden in the Netherlands. There, they split into two groups: those who chose to continue fighting for reform in England, and the separatists who decided to leave Europe for America in 1617.

Vocabulary: Pilgrim Fathers - The name given to the early settlers of Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts, consisting of English Puritans who sought religious freedom in the New World.