Pilgrims

Definition

The Pilgrims were a group of English Puritans who established the Plymouth Colony in what is now Massachusetts in 1620. They were known for their religious devotion and their desire to separate from the Church of England, seeking religious freedom in the New World.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Pilgrims were a group of Puritan separatists who left England in search of religious freedom and the opportunity to practice their faith without persecution.
2. The Pilgrims' journey to the New World was made aboard the Mayflower ship, which carried 102 passengers and a crew of around 30.
3. Upon arriving in the New World, the Pilgrims established the Plymouth Colony, which was the first permanent English settlement in New England.
4. The Pilgrims faced numerous challenges in the early years of the colony, including harsh weather, lack of resources, and conflicts with the native Wampanoag people.
5. The Pilgrims' religious beliefs and practices, including their strict observance of the Sabbath and their rejection of many traditional Christian holidays, set them apart from other English settlers in the region.

Review Questions

• Describe the religious beliefs and motivations of the Pilgrims that led them to establish the Plymouth Colony.
  • The Pilgrims were Puritan separatists who had become disillusioned with the Church of England and sought to establish a more pure and strict form of worship. They were deeply religious and believed that the Church of England had become too corrupted by Catholic practices and beliefs. The Pilgrims' desire for religious freedom and the ability to practice their faith without persecution was a key factor in their decision to leave England and settle in the New World, where they established the Plymouth Colony in 1620.
• Explain the significance of the Mayflower Compact and its impact on the governance and development of the Plymouth Colony.
  • The Mayflower Compact was a document signed by the Pilgrims upon their arrival in the New World, which established a system of self-government for the colony. It laid the foundation for the Plymouth Colony's political and social structure, and helped to ensure the survival and growth of the settlement in its early years. The Mayflower Compact was a significant milestone in the history of the Pilgrims and the development of representative government in the American colonies, as it demonstrated the Pilgrims' commitment to establishing a just and orderly society based on the consent of the governed.
• Analyze the relationship between the Pilgrims and the native Wampanoag people, and how this relationship evolved over time, particularly in the context of the Challenges to Spain's Supremacy and the English Settlements in America.
  • The relationship between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people was complex and often strained. Initially, the Pilgrims relied on the Wampanoag for assistance in adapting to the harsh New England environment and establishing their colony. However, as the Plymouth Colony grew and expanded, tensions arose over land disputes and cultural differences. The Pilgrims' strict religious beliefs and practices, as well as their desire to convert the Wampanoag to Christianity, created conflicts that ultimately led to the outbreak of King Philip's War in 1675-1678. This conflict, which pitted the Pilgrims and other English settlers against the Wampanoag and their allies, was a significant challenge to Spain's supremacy in the region and a turning point in the English settlement of America, as it demonstrated the growing power and assertiveness of the English colonies in the face of Native American resistance.

Related terms

Puritans: A group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Catholic practices and beliefs, and establish a more strict and austere form of worship.

Plymouth Colony: The first permanent English settlement in New England, established by the Pilgrims in 1620 on the coast of present-day Massachusetts.

Mayflower Compact: A document signed by the Pilgrims upon their arrival in the New World, which established a system of self-government and laid the foundation for the Plymouth Colony.