The Pilgrims experienced hunger, illness, and the death of loved ones while seeking religious freedom in the new world

A Pilgrim is one who takes a religious journey. In 1609 a group of Pilgrims left England for religious freedom in Holland where they prospered.

After a few years, their children became attached to the dutch way of life. This worried them. They considered Dutch ideas a threat to their children's education and morality.

So they traveled to the New World. Their trip was paid for by investors called the Merchant Adventurers. It was agreed that they would be given passage and supplies in exchange for working for the Merchant Adventurers for 7 years in the new world.

On Sept. 6, 1620 they set sail on They sailed from Plymouth, England. Aboard were 44 Pilgrims, who called themselves the "Saints", and 66 others, whom they called the "Strangers."

The cold and damp trip took 65 days. Since there was danger of fire on the wooden ship, food was eaten cold. Many passengers became sick and one died before land was sighted on November 10th, 1620.

The long trip led to disagreements between the "Saints" and the "Strangers". After land was sighted a meeting was held and an agreement was worked out, called the Mayflower Compact, which guaranteed equality and unified the two groups.

Although they had first sighted land off Cape Cod they did not settle until they arrived at Plymouth, which had been named by Captain John Smith in 1614.

Plymouth offered an excellent harbor. A large brook offered fish. Their biggest concern was attack by the local Native American Indians. But the Patuxets were a peaceful group and did not prove to be a threat.

All the myths and tales about the pilgrims first is inaccurate. They did not land on Plymouth Rock initially. They chose their site on Plymouth Bay because the area was outside the domain of the competing Virginia Company.

The first winter was devastating. The cold, snow and sleet was heavy, interfering with the workers as they tried to construct their settlement. March brought warmer weather and their health improved, but many had died during the long winter. Of the 110 Pilgrims and crew who left England, less than 50 survived the first winter.

The harvest in October was very successful. The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors.

Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians.

The following year the harvest was not as bountiful, as they were still unused to growing the corn. During the year they also shared their stored food with newcomers and they ran short of food again.

The 3rd year brought a spring and summer that was hot and dry with the crops dying in the fields. Governor Bradford ordered a day of fasting and prayer, and it was soon thereafter that the rain came.

In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Observance of the day began in 1879.

Here is an assignment from Chico Chihuahua.

See if you can find out what kind of fish might have been caught and preserved in salt to be eaten during the winter months and report it back to your teacher and parents!

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