The Mayflower was the ship that transported the Pilgrims from Plymouth, England, to Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, in what would become the United States, in 1620. It left Plymouth on September 6 and dropped anchor near Cape Cod on November 11 (both dates according to the Old Style, the Julian Calendar). This voyage was inspired by the successful establishment of the first permanent English settlement, Jamestown, by the London Company of Virginia in 1607.

Ship

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The Mayflower was used as a cargo ship, trading (often in wine) between England and other European countries, principally France, but also Norway, Germany, and Spain. At least between 1609 and 1622, it was mastered by Christopher Jones, who was Captain on the transatlantic voyage, and based in Rotherhithe, England. It is likely that the ship was broken up for scrap lumber in Rotherhithe in 1623, the year after Jones's death. The Mayflower Barn, just outside the Quaker village of Jordans, in Buckinghamshire, England, is said to be built from these timbers.

Details of the ship's dimensions are unknown; but estimates based on its load weight and the usual size of 180-ton merchant ships in the period give her a length of 90–110 feet (27.4–33.5 metres) and a width of about 25 (7.6 metres). Careful research went into designing a replica, the Mayflower II (launched 22 September 1956), to make it resemble its namesake as closely as possible.

Pilgrims' voyage

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Initially, the plan was for the voyage to be made in two vessels, the other being the smaller Speedwell. The first voyage of the ships departed Southampton, England, on August 5 1620; but the Speedwell developed a leak, and had to be refitted at Dartmouth.

On the second attempt, the ships reached the Atlantic, but again were forced to return to Plymouth because of the Speedwell's leak.

After reorganisation, the final 66-day voyage was made by the Mayflower alone. With the crowding of 102 passengers plus crew, each family was allotted very little space for personal belongings.

At one point, the ship's main beam cracked and had to be repaired using a large iron screw.

The Mayflower landed at Renews, on the southern shore of the Avalon Peninsula, in Newfoundland, where it picked up water and supplies from local fishing families before sailing on to Cape Cod.

The intended destination was a section of land in the area near the Hudson River, in "North Virginia". The ship, however, was forced off course by poor weather on this leg of the voyage. (The first leg had enjoyed finer weather.)

As a result of the delay, the settlers did not arrive at the future site of Plymouth Colony until the onset of a harsh, New England winter.

The settlers had failed to reach Virginia, where they had permission from the London Company to settle.

To establish legal order outside of this jurisdiction, and to quell increasing strife within their ranks, the settlers wrote and signed the Mayflower Compact.

On 5 April 1621, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth Colony to return to England, where she arrived on 6 May 1621.

Passengers

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The passengers on the Mayflower were the earliest permanent settlers in New England; some of their descendants have taken great interest in tracing their ancestry back to one or more of these Pilgrims. (See "List of passengers on the Mayflower" for a complete accounting. See also "List of Mayflower passengers who died in the winter of 1620–1621".)

Popular culture

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The voyage and the ship later became famous as an icon of a perilous one-way trip to a new life, with many things named after it.

• The Mayflower is the emblem of the English football club Plymouth Argyle F.C., who are known by the nickname of "The Pilgrims".
• Folk singers Simon and Garfunkel mention the ship in their song "American Tune".

External links

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• Mayflower II at Plymouth Plantation Museum
• Mayflower passengers from MayflowerHistory.com
• Mayflower history from MayflowerHistory.com
• Pilgrim Hall Museum of Plymouth, Massachusetts
• General Society of Mayflower Descendants
• The Mayflower And Her Log; Azel Ames, Project Gutenberg edition.
• The First Ships Discussion List Homepage
• The village of Jordans and the Mayflower today
• The Straight Dope: "Did the Pilgrims land on Plymouth Rock because they ran out of beer?"
• Mayflower Descendants Chart.

Exploration ships | Sailboat names | Sailing ships | Pre-revolutionary history of the United States

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