Plymouth Colony

Introduction…Hi! I am Ms. Holly.

Welcome to Level 5 Social Studies!

Today you will learn about:

• the establishment of the Plymouth Colony by the Pilgrims,

•the importance of religious freedom,

•the voyage of the Mayflower,

•the 1620 Mayflower Compact,

•and the first Thanksgiving

Establishment of the Plymouth Colony

The Plymouth Colony was founded by the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts, in December, 1620.

The Pilgrims were English Puritans who fled England to escape religious persecution.

After a 65-day journey from Southampton, England, they landed in Plymouth Harbor on the western side of Cape Cod Bay on December 21, 1620.

There, under the leadership of William Bradford, they signed the Mayflower Compact, which created their own government.

Some of the 102 passengers who sailed from England aboard the Mayflower died.

The survivors formed the Plymouth Colony.

They faced great hardship but made friends with neighboring Native Americans.

Among the leaders of the Plymouth Colony were William Bradford, John Carver, William Brewster, and Miles Standish.

Importance of religious freedom…

Above all things, the Pilgrims wanted to be free.

They disagreed with the religious teachings of the Church of England.

At this time, the Church of England was the same as the Government of England.

In other words, King James I was the head of both the country and the church.

Not belonging to the church meant not obeying the king.

This was treason.

So the Pilgrims left England, in search of a safe place to practice their religion.

By definition, religious freedom is the political principle that prevents government restrictions on people in the choice of religious beliefs.

Voyage of the Mayflower

The Mayflower was the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America.

It sailed from Southampton, England, on September 16, 1620, with 102 passengers on board.

The voyage took 65 days, during which time two people died and one person was born.

The colonists had been granted territory in Virginia, but the ship landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, on Dec. 26, 1620.

1620 Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was a document signed by 41 male Pilgrims on November 21, 1620.

By signing this document, the men agreed to form a temporary government to be bound by its laws.

The compact became the basis of government in the Plymouth Colony.

The First Thanksgiving

The Native Americans had taught the Pilgrims how to plant wheat, barley, Indian corn, and peas.

Soon, the settlement was growing lots of food.

Later that year, in the fall, the Pilgrims celebrated the harvest.

They invited their Native American friends to join them.

This has become known as the First Thanksgiving.

The Plymouth Colony was taken over by the

Massachusetts Colony.

Ultimately, the colony was merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony and other territories in 1691, to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay.

What was life like for the Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYJdp1U4zZQ

Let’s watch a short Youtube video about life for the Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony.

Listen closely for what they had to endure to start their new lives in this new place: building homes, scurvy, and family life; for example.

In conclusion…

Today we have learned about the establishment of the Plymouth Colony by the Pilgrims, the importance of religious freedom, the voyage of the Mayflower, the 1620 Mayflower Compact, and the First Thanksgiving.

We also learned why the Plymouth Colony was taken over by the Massachusetts colony.

Extension activities..

From the Pilgrims worksheet:

•First, read the passage.

•Second, answer the questions.

See you next time!

Good bye.

References

• Plymouth colony. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/wwww/us/plymouthdef.htm

• Plymouth colony. (2012). Retrieved from http://teacher.scholastic.com/researchtools/researchstarters/plymouth/

• The province of Massachusetts Bay. (2012). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Province_of_Massachusetts_Bay