Plymouth Colony

Plymouth Colony

The settlers that arrived on the Mayflower to found Plymouth Colony (today, the city of Plymouth, Massachusetts) in 1620 were fleeing religious persecution in England. Plymouth was the first major settlement by the English in New England, as well as one of the earliest in North America.

Fast Facts

Established: 1620
Location: Plymouth, Massachusetts
Language: English
Religion(s): Puritan, Separatist
Government: Monarchy
Legislature: General Counsel
Disestablished: 1691
Also called The Old Colony
Settlers known as Pilgrims
Landed in Provincetown Harbor: November 11, 1620
Women, children and infirm lived on the Mayflower for six months
William Bradford elected leader after John Carver died
Miles Standish: Military leader
Squanto became an important friend to the settlers

Pequot War

The Pequot War, beginning in 1637, was fought between the alliance of Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth Colonists and their Native American allies and the Pequot Tribe. Many members of the Pequot were killed, while others were sent to Bermuda to be sold as slaves. The war ended in 1638.

King Philip's War

King Philip's War, named after the Native American leader Metacomet, or King Philip to the English, raged from 1675 until 1676. Figures estimate that 7 out of every 8 Native Americans were killed, along with 30 out of every 65 English settlers.

Categories

History | U.S. History | Native American History

| View Note History

The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Plymouth Colony
University of Virginia: The Plymouth Colony Archive Project
Pilgrim Hall Museum: Americas Museum of Pilgrim Possessions
National Constitution Center: The Mayflower Compact
Plimoth Plantation: 1627 English Village
Sail1620.org: The Pilgrims, Leiden, and the Early Years of Plymouth Plantation
PBS: Colonial House Interactive History

Plymouth Colony History and Information

Duane Cline: The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony, 1620
Pilgrim Hall Museum: Plymouth Rock
University of Virginia Library: Population of Plymouth Town, Colony & County, 1620-1690
Plimoth Plantation: Timeline of Plymouth Colony 1620-1692

Plymouth Colony Origin

New England Made: Who are the Puritans, Separatists, and the Pilgrims?
Wikipedia: Pilgrims
Sail1620.org: Pilgrims and Puritans in 17th Century New England
Academic American: The Puritans of New England

Culture and Lifestyle

Plymouth Archaeological Rediscovery Project: Livestock I Firearms
Plimoth Plantation: Plymouth Colony Clothing
MayflowerHistory.com: The Family I Crime and Punishment
University of Virginia: Plymouth Colony Legal Structure
The Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society: Amusements in Colonial New England

Religion

MayflowerHistory.com: Religious Beliefs of the Pilgrims
Through the Looking Glass: Morality and Sex
American Studies at the University of Virginia: Pilgrims and Puritans Background

Plymouth Colony Timeline

1620: November the The Mayflower sets out anchor in Provincetown Harbor. Passengers settle in New England.
1620: December, Explorers encounter Wampanoag on Cape Cod. No one hurt in first encounter and the colonists chose an abandoned Wampanoag village called Patuxet for new home.
1620: March, Squanto comes to New Plymouth. Peace treaty formed. Squanto stays with colonists.
1621: October, Three day harvest in Plymouth with Massasoit and ninety Wampanoag men.
1621: November, The ship Fortune arrives bringing 35 new colonists and in 1623 ships Anne and Little James bring 60 more colonists.
1630: The Plymouth colony expands and more towns are founded.
1633: Disease struck the natives and killed many along with 20 colonists.
1637: Pequot War between the Pequot, Massachusetts Bay and The Plymouth Colony.
1638: The Treaty of Hartford was negotiated.
1642: Beginning of the English Civil War.
1649: Land purchased from Massasoit and named Bridgewater.
1650: Problems increase between colonists and natives.
1656: Religious Society of Friends also known as Quakers arrive in New England.
1658: Penalties established against Quakers
1662: Sachem Alexander is ordered to appear before the Plymouth Court for plotting war against English.
1671: Controversy between Metacomet, also known as King Philip and the Plymouth Government.
1675: King Philip's War begins.
1686: Sir Edmund Andros arrives and becomes Governor in Chief of the Dominion of New England with Boston as his capitol.
1691: England combines Plymouth and Maine Colonies with Massachusetts Bay Colony.
1692: Last meeting of Plymouth General Court

Plymouth Colony Major Events

The Mayflower Compact

The National Center for Public Policy Research: The Mayflower Compact
Wikipedia: Mayflower Compact
USINFO: Mayflower Compact (1620)

The First Encounter

MayflowerHistory.com: The First Encounter
Duane Cline: First Encounter Beach
NPR: Debunking Pilgrim Myths: Before Plymouth

Treaty With Massasoit

Pilgrim Hall Museum: The Treaty With Massasoit
Duane Cline: The Wampanoag/Pilgrim Treaty
MayflowerHistory.com: Treaty with Massasoit (1621)

The First Thanksgiving

Pilgrim Hall Museum: First Thanksgiving
Wikipedia: Thanksgiving
History.com: The First Thanksgiving

The Pequot War

Wikipedia: Pequot War
The Descendants of Henry Doude: The Pequot War
The Society of Colonial Wars: 1637 - The Pequot War

King Philip's War

Pilgrim Hall Museum: King Philip's War
Wikipedia: King Philip's War
The Colonial Gazette: King Philip's War

Plymouth Colony Historical Figures

John Carver

Pilgrim Hall Museum: John Carver
Wikipedia: John Carver
MayflowerHistory.com: John Carver

Squanto

Mahalo's Guide to Squanto
NativeAmericans.com: Squanto
MayflowerHistory.com: Biography of Tisquantum ("Squanto")
Wikipedia: Squanto

John Alden

Wikipedia: John Alden
Pilgrim Hall Museum: John Alden
MayflowerHistory.com: John Alden

William Bradford

Mahalo's Guide to William Bradford
Wikipedia: William Bradford
Pilgrim Hall Museum: William Bradford
Fordham University: William Bradford: History of Plymouth Plantation

Elder William Brewster

Wikipedia: Elder William Brewster
MayflowerHistory.com: William Brewster
Pilgrim Hall Museum: William Brewster

Edward Winslow

Wikipedia: Edward Winslow
The Colonial Gazette: Edward Winslow
Pilgrim Hall Museum: Edward Winslow

Myles Standish

Mahalo's Guide to Myles Standish
Wikipedia: Myles Standish
MayflowerHistory.com: Myles Standish
Myles Standish Society: The Will of Myles Standish

Massasoit

Mahalo's Guide to Massasoit
Wikipedia: Massasoit
Duane Cline: The Massasoit Ousa Mequin
Native American Rhymes: Massasoit

Plymouth Colony Pictures and Videos

Pilgrim Hall Museum: Collections: History Paintings
Scholastic: The First Thanksgiving: Slideshow
University of Virginia: Images from The Romantic Story of the Mayflower Pilgrims
Google Image Search: Plymouth Colony

Plymouth Colony Maps and Articles

Sail1620.org: Maps Overview
Smithsonian.com: "Pilgrims' Progress" (2006)
Ludwig von Mises Institute: What Really Happened at Plymouth (2006)

Plymouth Colony Books and Research

Amazon.com: Plymouth Colony Books | The Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower DVD
Barnes & Noble: Plymouth Colony Books
Scholastic: Research Starter
MayflowerHistory.com: Full Text Primary Sources: Books written by the Pilgrims

Plymouth Colony Blogs and Message Boards

History of American Woman: Plymouth Colony: Women's Rights
Plymouth Colony: Facts and History
Gordon's Notes: Squanto and the Non-Puritan Non-Pilgrim "Fathers"
Notes From American Literature: Bradford and Winthrop
Ron Schuler's Parlour Tricks: Success at Plymouth

Related Pages on Mahalo

The French and Indian War | Pequot War | Indian Small Pox Epedemic | Massasoit | Squanto | Miles Standish | Wampanoag Tribe | The Pilgrims | Jamestown Colony | Massachusetts Bay Colony | William Bradford

This page was created by Cheryl, a Part Time Guide in the Mahalo Greenhouse (see the original), mentored by Susan and curated by Colette L.
If you'd like to help us create the best spam free search results on the Internet, apply to be a Part Time Guide!