Mayflower: A History From Beginning to End by Hourly History

Author:Hourly History [History, Hourly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hourly History
Published: 2016-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

Plymouth: Arrival in America

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

—Henry Miller

While the majority of the passengers on the Mayflower were English Separatists, who called themselves Saints, there were also some adventurers and tradesmen, whom the Separatists called Strangers. It was only later that both groups were referred to collectively as Pilgrims or Pilgrim Fathers. When the ship made anchor well to the north of the intended destination, some of the Strangers suggested that since they had no patent (or agreement) for this land, they were then free to do as they pleased. This prompted the others to establish a provisional government in the form of a social contract that would help to ensure order and for the sake of survival. The result was the Mayflower Compact. The original document was lost through time, but three versions exist from the 17th century. Two of these were written by William Bradford, one printed in Mourt’s Relation in 1622 and the other handwritten by Bradford in his journal, Of Plimouth Plantation in 1646. These two versions contain very similar wording and probably most accurately reflect the wording of the original document. The Compact reads as follows5,16:

“In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, 1620”5.

Note the that the use of the word dread in reference to King James uses the archaic definition which means awe and reverence for the king. The Compact was approved by the majority of eligible voters, which didn’t include women and children. It was signed by the 41 male passengers. The Mayflower Compact is seen to contain the seeds of the democracy that would later be established as the United States, and some have referred to it as the world’s first written constitution. With a provisional government in place, the Pilgrims now set themselves to the task of locating a suitable area for settlement19.

On November 27, 1620, an

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