Lecture 1 and 2

Native Americans

America was first discovered by the Native Americans. They had their own social community;
did not know private property; were in love with nature; believed that everything that lay
around them belonged to everybody; they welcomed others but were unable to survive the
craftiness of people. Natives wondered how people would divide the land or sea as it belongs
to all. They believed that we are a part of nature and it cannot be divided. It calls for
reverence, respect and humility.

America was earlier a very green place. It had tall trees, dense forests and lush green
meadows. The land was rich and owned by the natives who were called the “Red Indians”.
They were called Red because of their skin tone. The natives were people who loved their
habitat and mother earth. The natives respected their land, considered every little creature
very important. They treated nature like their family and believed that the earth did not
belong to man, man belonged to earth. They had their fields and ate what they grew. There
was harmony and balance in the lifestyle they had adopted.

The first time the Europeans came to their land, they helped and gave a warm welcome. The
story of Pocahontas tells us about how a tribal girl saved a European’s life who was going to
be killed by some natives. She placed her head on his and saved his life. Some Natives were
very generous but some tribes didn’t want anybody coming to their land, interfering in their
life and disturbing their way of living.
Paleo-Indians
The earliest populations in the Americas, roughly before 17,000 years ago, are known as
Paleo-Indians. They entered North America from the Beringia land bridge, which had formed
between north eastern Siberia and western Alaska due to the lowering of the sea level. The
unstable climate led to widespread migration, with early Paleo-Indians soon spreading
throughout the Americas, diversifying into hundreds of culturally distinct tribes. The Paleo-
Indians were hunter-gatherers, bands consisting of approximately 20 to 50 members. These
groups moved from place to place as preferred resources were available and carried a variety
of tools. Over the course of thousands of years, Paleo-Indian people domesticated, bred and
cultivated a number of plant species, including crops.

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Initial settlement of the Norsemen
The first known European settlement in the Americas was by the Norse explorer, from
Iceland, Leif Erikson. He set foot on continental North America, approximately half a
millennium before Christopher Columbus. During the late 8th century, Norsemen embarked
on a large-scale expansion in all directions, giving rise to the Viking Age. The Viking Age was
the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale
raiding, colonizing, conquest and trading throughout Europe and reached North America.
They founded a settlement on Greenland and also the east coast of Canada, but their
settlements there were much small and short-lived.

Pre-Columbian era - Native Americans/ American Indian

While the phrase "pre-Columbian era” refers only to the time preceding Christopher
Columbus's voyages of 1492, it denotes the entire history of indigenous American cultures.
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian peoples of North, Central and
South America and their descendants. People settled throughout the continent. These
complex communities each developed their own unique ways of life and culture. Native
American cultures across the United States are notable for their wide variety and diversity of
lifestyles, regalia, art forms and beliefs.
The traditional diet of Native Americans derived from a mixture of agriculture, hunting, and
the gathering of wild foods. The Native Americans had established three main crops — beans,
squash, and maize (or corn); — called the three sisters. Other early crops included cotton,
sunflower, pumpkins, and tobacco. At least a thousand different indigenous languages were
spoken in the Americas.
Tools
Native Americans commonly used tools such as the hoe, maul, and dibber. The hoe was the
main tool used to till the land and prepare it for planting; then it was used for weeding. The
first versions were made out of wood and stone. When the settlers brought iron, Native
Americans switched to iron hoes and hatchets.
Spiritual practices
Spiritual practices included fasting, singing and prayer in the ancient languages of their people
accompanied with drumming, the natives use sacred herbs such as tobacco, sweet grass or
sage.

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Music
Native American music often includes drumming and/or the playing of rattles or other
percussion instruments. Flutes and whistles made of wood, cane, or bone were also played,
generally by individuals, but in former times also by large ensembles. The most widely
practiced public musical form among Native Americans in the United States is that of the pow-
wow. A ‘pow wow’ is a social gathering held by many Native American communities. A
modern ‘pow wow’ is a specific type of event for Native American people to meet and dance,
sing, socialize, and honour their cultures.
Habitat, homes and habits of the Native Americans
Hunting, fishing and gathering were important traditional activities. When Europeans came
to the New World, they found the Indians eating unusual foods. The Europeans had never
seen or tasted corn, potatoes, tomatoes, or melons. Indians also showed them how to grow
beans, squash, and pumpkins. Huckleberries grow low to the ground in the mountains; they
are similar to blueberries but are smaller and tastier. The Indians on the Plains hunted the
huge herds of buffalo that roamed the grasslands. They used the meat, the hides, the bones,
and virtually all parts of the buffalo to make almost everything they needed. The buffalo didn't
stay in one place, but roamed across the prairies in search of areas where grass was plentiful.
The people followed them, and so they needed portable homes that could be moved quickly
and easily. Some Indians who did not move around so much made homes from sticks and
poles and bark -- these were called Wickiups.

The Native Americans and other tribes called their beautiful portable homes "tipis" means
"living place." Tipis were made from buffalo skins held up by poles. The inside and outside of
a tipi were often decorated with "paint" made from natural dyes and colours. The front of the
tipi was laced together with sticks, and the top of the tipi had "smoke flaps" that could be
held open with poles to let smoke out, or folded shut to keep out snow and rain. In the heat
of summer, the bottom could be rolled up to let a cool breeze pass through. Sometimes the
Tipi would be so large that 40 men could eat dinner together in one.
Travois
The Indians who lived on the Plains travelled a lot, following the herds of buffalo and moving
seasonally to areas with good supplies of other foods. They didn't use carts or wagons, but
instead made a travois to carry their belongings. Two long poles were tied together, and a
person could hold the ends of the poles over their shoulders. The other ends of the poles
would drag on the ground. Tipis, clothing, and other items were packed and tied onto the
poles. After the Spanish ships brought horses to the New World, the Indians used horses to
pull the travois piled with their belongings.

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Canoes
People living near rivers or lakes built small boats from whatever was available. They used
reeds, sewn skins, hollowed-out tree trunks, or tree bark. Their canoes were very lightweight
and easy to carry. They could slip quietly over a lake or marshy area for hunting birds and
fishing.
Drumming
Indians traditionally used drums with most dances and songs -- and they still do. Drums can
be made from many different materials; the simplest drum was a hollow log with a piece of
rawhide covering the end. The drummer tapped on the rawhide "drum head" with his hands
or a stick. Drums were usually round, but people in the northwest part of California also made
and used square drums.
Use of beads
The Native Americans put beads on many things -- belts, clothing, shoes, horse gear, tipis,
cradleboards, and, of course, around their necks!
Beads were made from a variety of materials that people could find or trade for. Shells, bones,
pebbles, claws, nuts, seeds, porcupine quills, dried berries, deer and elk antlers, buffalo horns,
pieces of metal, hardened clay, birds' talons -- all of these and more were used as decorative
beads. Holes were drilled into beads with stone or wood tools. "Seed beads" are tiny beads
that the Indians sewed onto clothing to create fancy designs. Shell bead and pendants were
worn around the neck.
Clothing
The Native Americans and other tribes made warm and beautiful clothing from animal hides
or fabric they traded for. Geometric designs were favoured, but floral designs were often
used, too. Buckskin was a favourite material. It is made from the hide of a deer. They followed
a long process to make it ready to be used as clothing.
Decorated bands were often worn by the Native Americans and other tribes on the wrists and
arms. They weren't very practical for daily work or hunting, but were worn for ceremonies,
feasts, and dances. These cuffs were usually made from buckskin or rawhide and were
decorated with beads, shells, and fringe. Anklets were worn for dancing -- and they still are
worn today at pow-wows and Indian dance competitions. Long white hair of mountain goats
is used as anklets. Their graceful sway and bounce add to and enhances the dancer's
movements. People in other areas used grass, plant fibres, or yarn made from sheep's wool.
Dance bustles are used for extra decoration and drama in ceremonial dances. Some big
bustles made with lots of feathers look a lot like certain birds.

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Face Paint
Indians painted their faces and bodies for many reasons besides fun. They painted their
bodies with designs to protect them before they went to war; they painted their faces for
beauty, just as girls and women now use make-up. They used paints to protect their skin from
sun and wind, just as we use sunscreen today. Paint also kept flies, bees, and other annoying
insects away, the same way we use bug spray today. Sometimes people painted their faces
to show that they belonged to a certain club or society. Faces were painted for ceremonies,
or to mourn someone who had died.
Indians made the paints they used out of special clays, charcoal, berries, and moss that they
ground up. They used stones to grind the materials into powder, and then mixed the
powdered dye with animal fat.
Some warriors painted their faces with streaks running down from their eyes to show that
they were crying for the success of their expedition. Scouts would paint their faces white to
symbolize the wolf, whose power was thought to be of great help when scouting.
An Indian could show others that he wanted to be left alone -- or had fallen in love -- by
painting his face black and then using his fingernails to scrape a zigzag pattern from his
hairline down to his chin.
Colours of paint meant specific things. Most of the tribes used colours to indicate these
meanings:
Black = death Yellow = joy and victory White = peace
Red = power and life Blue = sky
War Bonnets
Today, soldiers earn medals and ribbons for acts of bravery in the military. Indian warriors
earned eagle feathers that were displayed on headbands. A council would listen to the man
speaking about the experience, and then decide if he deserved the honour of wearing another
feather. Eagle feather was important because eagle was a powerful bird and the wearer
hoped he might get some of the eagle's power from the feathers.
North America spoke over 300 different languages. Many of the tribes travelled and traded
with other tribes who didn't speak their language. They invented a silent way of speaking with
their hands. Sign language seems to have developed on the Plains. There were at least 600
tribes in North America who spoke 300 different languages.
Games
Tribes used traditional game pieces to play games. These pieces were made using natural
material.

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Storytelling
Telling stories was popular with all Indian tribes. A favourite storyteller or the chief often
would tell stories about the tribe's past -- or stories that explained religious beliefs and values.
Storytelling was a special activity, and each tribe had different rules about it. Indians liked to
use stories to teach lessons about how to act and how to live with others. They also used
stories in healing ceremonies. Some stories were so important they could only be told by
certain people at certain times.
Totem poles
Totem poles are monuments created by First Nations of the Pacific Northwest to represent
and commemorate ancestry, histories, people, or events. Totem poles are typically created
out of red cedar, a malleable wood relatively abundant in the Pacific Northwest, and would
be erected to be visible within a community.
Most totem poles display beings, animals, marking a family’s lineage and validating the
powerful rights and privileges that the family held. Totem poles would not necessarily tell a
story so much as it would serve to document stories and histories familiar to community
members or particular family or clan members.
Carving a totem pole requires not only artistic skill, but an intimate understanding of cultural
histories and forest ecology. Most totem poles are made from Western red cedar, a rot-
resistant tree that is straight-grained and easy to carve. Before a cedar tree is harvested for a
totem pole, the Natives will first perform a ceremony of gratitude and respect in honour of
the tree. Several trees may be inspected before a particular tree is chosen for its beauty and
character.
According to an artist, “each tree is like a human being; it has its own personality and
uniqueness.” Many totem pole carvers have honed their skills since childhood, typically from
watching their fathers and uncles carve from cedar wood. After the wood is carved, some
artists paint their poles, or choose to leave the pole unpainted.

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Lecture 3 – Age of Exploration, Geography of America, Europe during the 15th and
16thcentury, Division of colonies
The word - Indian
Application of the term "Indian" originated with Christopher Columbus, who, in his search for
India, thought that he had arrived in the East Indies (Indian sub-continent and south East Asia)
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus, a navigator and an admiral, submitted his plans for sailing around the
world to Asia. After several approaches to the Italian, English, and Portuguese monarchies,
Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain finally decided to give Columbus a chance, despite the counsel
of their advisers. King Ferdinand thought Columbus might find something that could give the
Spanish an opportunity to compete with their neighbour and rival Portugal.
Columbus set out on his first of four voyages on August 3, 1492. Riding the trade winds
westward across the Atlantic Ocean with the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria, Columbus
landed on an island he called San Salvador, in the present-day Bahamas, five weeks after
embarking from Spain. During this voyage, Columbus also explored the northeast coast of
Cuba and the northern coast of Hispaniola, where he established the settlement of La
Navidad.
Upon his return to Spain, news of the discovered lands spread throughout Europe. Columbus
made three more voyages to the New World between 1493 and 1504. Columbus’ second
voyage landed in the Caribbean, on an island he named Dominica, and continued northward
through the lesser and Greater Antilles.
On his third voyage, Columbus landed on the Portuguese Porto Santo Island before continuing
on to Madeira; the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, off the coast of West Africa; Trinidad, off
the coast of present-day Venezuela; and mainland South America.
Columbus’s fourth and final voyage across the Atlantic took him throughout Central America,
including Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. As the sponsor of Christopher
Columbus's voyages, Spain was the first European power to settle and colonize the largest
areas, from North America and the Caribbean to the southern tip of South America.
These three subsequent voyages were made to explore and exploit the riches and resources
of the indigenous peoples in the Americas. Columbus had been granted authority by the
Spanish monarchy to claim land for Spain, begin a settlement, trade for valuable goods or
gold, and explore resources. He was also made governor of all the lands which he found and
he proved to be a savage and brutal governor.

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Columbian exchange
The post-1492 era is known as the period of the Columbian Exchange, a dramatically
widespread exchange of animals, plants, culture, human populations (including slaves), ideas,
and communicable diseases between the Americas and the old world, following Columbus's
voyages to the Americas in the 15th and 16th century.
The European colonization of the Americas fundamentally changed the lives and cultures of
the resident Indigenous peoples. Indigenous populations diminished by between 80% and
90% within the first centuries of European colonization due to introduction of Afro-Eurasian
diseases into the Americas. Epidemics ravaged the Americas with diseases such as smallpox,
measles, and cholera, which the early colonists brought from Europe.
Impact of Columbian exchange on native populations
The Columbian exchange generally had a destructive impact on Native American culture
through disease, and a 'clash of cultures', whereby European values of private property, the
family, and labour led to conflict and slavery.
The impact of the Columbian exchange was not entirely negative however, for example, the
re-introduction of the horse to North America allowed the Indians to revolutionize their way
of life by making hunting, trading, and warfare far more effective, and to greatly improve their
ability to transport possessions and move their settlements.
In the early years, as these native peoples encountered European explorers and settlers and
engaged in trade, they exchanged food, crafts, and furs for blankets, iron and steel
implements, horses, firearms, and alcoholic beverages.
With the meeting of two worlds, animals, insects, and plants were carried from one to the
other, both deliberately and by chance, in what is called the Columbian Exchange. The
reintroduction of the horse to North America had a profound impact on Native American
culture of the Great Plains.
Amerigo Vespucci
Amerigo Vespucci (9 March 1454 – 22 February 1512) was an Italian merchant, explorer, and
navigator from the Republic of Florence (modern Italy), from whose name the terms America
and Americas are derived.

Between 1497 and 1504, Vespucci participated in at least two voyages of the Age of Discovery,
first on behalf of Spain (1499–1500) and then for Portugal (1501–1502). But why were these
continents named after him, especially since his voyages happened after Christopher
Columbus' as Vespucci was the first person to recognize North and South America as distinct
continents that were previously unknown to Europeans, Asians and Africans.
Prior to Vespucci's discovery, explorers, including Columbus, had assumed that the New
World was part of Asia. Vespucci made his discovery while sailing near the tip of South
America in 1501.

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Europe during the 15th & 16th Century
Age of discovery/Age of exploration was a period in European history between the 15th and
17th century. During this period, the Europeans engaged in extensive exploration and
colonization of many parts of the world establishing direct contact with Asia, Africa and
America.
The Age of Exploration was the beginning of territorial expansion for several European
countries. Europe was preoccupied with internal wars and was recovering from the loss of
population due to Black Death. After Europe recovered from the Black Death it was in search
of new products and new wealth, it was anxious to improve trade and communications with
the rest of the world.
Renaissance was a period of “Rebirth” following the middle Ages from the 14th to
17thcentury. Renaissance promoted the re-discovery of art, literature, philosophy. Some of
the greatest thinkers, authors, scientists, artists thrived during this period.
The Age of Exploration coincided with the Renaissance as many people were curious about
the world sciences like astronomy and cartography. People wanted to know more about
geography, culture and people outside their own land. The age of exploration was rooted in
new technologies and ideas growing out of the Renaissance - this included advance in
cartography, navigation and ship building.
Geography of the US - Americas
The Americas is a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas
make up most of the land on Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Since the Americas extend 14,000 km from north to south, the climate and ecology vary
widely, from the arctic tundra of Northern Canada and Alaska, to the tropical rain forests in
Central America and South America.
The Canada–United States border, officially known as the International Boundary, is the
longest international border in the world between two countries
Geographical characteristics of the US
The United States shares land borders with Canada (to the north) and Mexico (to the south),
and a territorial water border with Russia in the northwest, and two territorial water borders
in the southeast between Florida and Cuba, and Florida and the Bahamas. The contiguous
forty-eight states are otherwise bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Atlantic Ocean
on the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast. Alaska borders the Pacific Ocean to the
south and southwest, the Bering Strait to the west, and the Arctic Ocean to the north, while
Hawaii lies far to the southwest of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean. Hawaii is a state of the
United States of America located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the only U.S. state located outside
North America.

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Forty-eight of the states are in the single region between Canada and Mexico; this group is
referred to, with varying precision and formality, as the contiguous United States.
North America: Resources and Economy
North America's extensive agricultural lands (especially in Canada and the United States) are
a result of the interrelationship of favourable climatic conditions, fertile soils, and technology.
North America produces most of the world's corn, meat, cotton, soybeans, tobacco, and
wheat, along with a variety of other food and industrial raw material crops. Mineral resources
are also abundant; the large variety includes coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, natural gas,
petroleum.
North America: Climate
North America, embraces every climatic zone, from the tropical rain forest and savanna on
the lowlands of Central America to areas of subarctic and tundra climates prevail in N Canada
and N Alaska, and desert and semiarid conditions are found in interior regions cut off by high
mountains from rain-bearing westerly winds. However, a high proportion of the continent has
temperate climates very favourable to settlement and agriculture. It has a global climate.
Mexico
Mexico officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North
America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific
Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the east by the
Gulf of Mexico
Central America
Central America is defined as a sub region of the Americas. This region is bordered by Mexico
to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean
to the west and south. Central America consists of seven countries: El Salvador, Costa Rica,
Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
Panama
By about 3 million years ago, an isthmus had formed between North and South America. This
is an isthmus of Panama. (An “isthmus” is a narrow strip of land, with water on either side
that connects two larger bodies of land)
South America
It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic
Ocean; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest. It includes twelve
sovereign states. South America is one of the most biodiverse continents on earth.

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Division of colonies
The 18th century witnessed the birth of Great Britain and the expansion of the British empire.
Great Britain developed into a commercial and military powerhouse and population grew
dramatically in Britain’s north American colonies. By the early 18th century population in the
colonies had grown, over a million British migrants and African slaves had established a
contiguous zone of settlement on the Atlantic coast from Maine to Georgia, the 13 colonies
had been established. The 13 colonies also known as the 13 British colonies were a group of
colonies of Great Britain on the Atlantic coast of America founded in the 17th and 18th
century which declared independence in 1776 and formed the United States of America.
The colonies in America were divided into North colonies, Mid colonies, South colonies. In the
North the states included were Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and
Connecticut. All these colonies were near the shore so there was abundance of fish. These
were the snowy areas not fit for cultivation. People relied on fishing, lumbering and these
areas had major ports.
In the middle colonies there were New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania.
Crops like wheat, barley and corn were cultivated here. Hence these colonies were known as
the bread basket.
Southern colonies include Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia. These places
experience high temperatures and they are famous for producing cotton, sugarcane, tobacco,
indigo.
Reasons for Immigration
The settlers came from the old world to the new world. They wanted a change, a fresh start.
They were in search of newer trade, more wealth, newer resources and profits. Some of them
had financial troubles back home which they wanted to escape from. Many were thieves and
dacoits who came to the new world to escape punishment and to start afresh. Some settlers
came to the new world to escape from church domination and wanted to practice the religion
of their choice. Others were discontent with the strict rules, regulations and the authority of
the autocratic rulers. America was known as a land of opportunities a symbol of freedom. It
was welcoming place for all those who faced overcrowding and poverty at home.
Lecture 4
Early Interaction
The first English settlement was set up in the new world in place called Virginia in 1607.
In 1607, a group of visitors landed in Virginia. They had all left their lands, this made it very
difficult for the natives to believe. This surprised the natives and made wonder the reasons
as to why they would have left their land. It could be to explore, discover new places, or could
be curiosity. It could also be to free oneself from one’s land and the power of the Church, to
engage in trade and to use resources.

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In 1606, English settlers set sail with a charter to establish a colony in the new world. The
people on board the Susan Continent, the Godspeed and Discovery surely expected the best
from their adventure. They thought of establishing a British settlement, find gold and silver
and a new trade route. They could not have anticipated the fate that actually awaited most
of them like drought, hunger, illness and death. The food supplies on the ships dwindled and
over the course of the voyage, many died.
But around 104 colonists consisting of artisans, craftsmen, labourers survived to reach the
shores of Virginia. The settlers were immediately besieged by attacks from the Algonquian
natives. There were rampant diseases and internal tensions.
Within a month the settlers had constructed a triangle shaped wooden fort with the help of
John Smith for protection against the Spanish who did not want the British to establish any
kind of foot hold in the new world.
In the first winter more than half the colonists perished from famine and illness. Eventually
more colonists and new supplies were brought from Britain and despite a fire that wiped out
the original fort, the settlement found some stability under the leadership of Captain John
Smith.
Smith with the help of Pocahontas, daughter of the Algonquian Chief Powhatan, managed to
maintain peace with the natives before leaving the colony and returning to England in
September 1609.
John Smith
John Smith was an English soldier, explorer, colonial governor and author. He played an
important role in the establishment of the colony at Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent
English settlement in America in the early 17th century. He was the leader of the Virginia
colony between September 1608 and August 1609.
The following winter, disaster once again struck Jamestown, few colonists survived the period
known as the “starving time” (1609-10). Historians figured out that it was disease, famine and
Indian attacks that took a toll. The weather in Virginia was different from the weather of
England. There were extreme temperatures as summers were extremely hot and winters
were extremely cold. The worst drought had struck Jamestown from 1606-12, this
contributed to poor water supply and difficulty in growing crops. In addition to this the sandy
soil did not hold the moisture and the drought killed the crops that they had tried to grow.
Most of the settlers starved to death during the starvation time. Some of them were saved
by the arrival of the British ships with fresh supplies and more settlers.
John Rolfe
John Rolfe arrived in Jamestown in 1610 with 150 other settlers as part of a new charter
organised by the Virginia Company. He began experimenting with growing tobacco using
seeds grown in West Indies to develop Virginia’s first profitable export. In 1612, John Rolfe
who was an early settler of North America was known for being the first person to cultivate
tobacco in Virginia and for marrying Pocahontas.

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The Britishers were interested to profit from mineral wealth such as gold, iron ore, timber,
wood products and other natural resources from Virginia. They hoped to find a North West
passage for trade. They wanted to clear enough land to establish a permanent colony in
America that would make profit for Britain and they hoped to repeat the success of the
Spanish who found gold in South America.
Lecture 5
Puritans – Mayflower Compact
The colonists came to America for many reasons. They came to explore, to make money, to
spread and practice their religion freely and to live on a land of their own. The pilgrims and
puritans came to America to practice religious freedom. In the 1500, England broke away from
the Roman Catholic Church and created a new church called the Church of England. Everyone
in England had to belong to that church.
The puritans were members of a religious reform movement known as Puritanism that arose
within the Church of England in the 16th century. They believed that the Church of England
was too similar to the Roman Catholic Church and should eliminate ceremonies and practices
not rooted in the Bible.
Pilgrims were the Puritans who had abandoned the local parishes and formed small
congregations of their own because the Church of England was not holy enough to meet their
standards. These groups of people were called the “separatists”. They wanted to separate
from the Church of England and many of them later migrated to America in 1620 aboard the
Mayflower.
The separatists under the leadership of William Bradford, decided to leave England and start
a settlement of their own so that they could practice their religion freely. Bradford went to
the Virginia Company and asked them for permission to establish a new colony in Virginia.
The Virginia Company agreed and the pilgrims set sail on the ship Mayflower in September
1620 towards Virginia.
The pilgrims had a long and difficult journey across the Atlantic Ocean, the ship was small with
hundreds of people on it. Many died due to the cold weather and storm. They faced many
problems. They had made a lot of preparations to start a voyage. Money, food and water was
needed in large quantities as the voyage was long.
A storm blew them off course so instead of landing in Virginia, they landed further North in
Cape Cod. The pilgrims decided to settle in this area and call it Plymouth. There was a problem
with them staying as there was no form of government to follow. The Virginia Company had
given the pilgrims a charter to settle in Virginia. The charter was not valid for Plymouth.
The men aboard the Mayflower decided that they would write a plan of the kind of
government they wanted for their colony. The plan of government became known as the
Mayflower Compact. The men agreed to consult each other about the laws of the colony and
they promised to work together to make the colony succeed.

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The Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower compact, the originally titled agreement between the settlers of New
Plymouth was the first governing document of the Plymouth colony. It was written by the
male passengers of Mayflower. The puritans were fleeing from religious persecution by King
James I of England. Signing the covenant were 41 of the ships 101 passengers, while the
Mayflower was anchored in province town harbour with the hook at the northern tip of Cape
Cod.
Some of the non-puritan passengers proclaim that they would use their own liberty for none
had the power to command them since they would not be settling in the agreed upon Virginia
territory. To prevent this chaos, pilgrims decided to establish their own government. It was in
essence a social contract in which the settlers consented to follow the community rules and
regulations for the sake of order and survival.
The pilgrims finally stepped foot on the land in November of 1620. Arriving in November they
had to survive the harsh winter. This was not the best time to establish a colony. It was very
difficult for the pilgrims to find food or shelter in the middle of winter. As a result, only half
of the original pilgrims survived.
Without the help of local indigenous people to teach them food gathering and other survival
skills, all the colonists may have perished. The pilgrims were told how to plant corn and other
crops and how to trap animals for food and clothing by the tribes. The following winter they
celebrated the colony’s first fall harvest along with the indigenous people, which became the
first Thanksgiving.
As one of the earliest pilgrim vessels, the ship became a “cultural icon” in the history of the
USA.

Tarandeep Nayyar Grade VIII History