Seeking Religious Freedom

1. Seeking Religious Freedom

2. Key Words/Terms • Pilgrims- The founders of Plymouth . Sought only religious freedom, not gold or wealth • Persecution- The mistreatment of certain people due to their beliefs • Mayflower Compact- Document pledging to create a government for the good of the colony • Precedent- An example for others to follow in the future

3. Reasons for Leaving Europe • People left Europe for the new world for a myriad of reasons • Seeking wealth • Seeking an escape from every day life, a fresh start • Political differences • Forced to depart by the government • Seeking religious tolerance • Europe in the 1500’s was not a good place for religious separatists • Two dominant religions • Protestants and Roman Catholics • These two groups fought each other fiercely • Thousands were killed due to their beliefs

4. The Power of the Church • Often it seemed that the Church had more power than the government • European rulers felt that order could not be found unless there was only one supported religion • Parliament passed laws making the King or Queen the automatic head of the Church of England • In countries all over Europe, those who did not practice the one accepted religion were persecuted • Many died as a result • Beheading and being burned at the stake were common • Many more were imprisoned • Most separatists practiced their religions “underground” • Many began to see the new world as a safe place to practice their religion

5. The Pilgrims • “Separatists” in England • They were protestant, but just wanted to separate from the Church of England • They were persecuted by the English Government • Some were imprisoned • Some were simply followed and constantly observed • They fled England for the Netherlands in the early 1600’s where they could worship freely • They began to miss their English way of life • Also feared their children were becoming more Dutch than English

6. On to the New World • In September 1620, some that had returned to England, left for the new world • With a charter for a colony in Virginia in hand, more than 100 men, women and children set off on the Mayflower • In November, the ship landed in near Cap Cod in Massachusetts, further north than they had planned • Since they were exhausted by the long journey, they decided to stay there • They called their colony Plymouth, as they had departed from the port city of Plymouth in England

7. The Compact • Since they were off course, the terms of the charter did not apply • As this was the case, the Pilgrims created and signed the “Mayflower Compact” • Some of the colonists were not Pilgrims • 41 male passenger signed the Mayflower Compact • Both Pilgrim and Non- Pilgrim • Signed on November 11, 1620 • They agreed to make and abide by laws for the general good of the colony • They eventually set up a government and elected a governor • This strengthened the English style of representative government in the colonies

8. Religious Freedom • The Pilgrims were only the first of many people to come to the colonies seeking religious freedom • Many though, felt that their own religion should be the only one practiced • Each colony had their own established church • The pilgrims stated that any peaceable person could live there • As long as they followed their laws and seek the common good • This set the precedent for later religious tolerance

9. Hardships • Early life for the colonists was anything but easy • All they had was leftover corn from an abandoned Native American village • Too late in the season to plant crops and not enough food was brought to last the winter • Shelters were not properly built due to time • Some lived in sod houses, others in pits covered with branches through the harsh winter • Nearly half of the settlers died of disease or starvation • The first governor died this winter and William Bradford was elected to take his place • He was reelected many times he led the colony for almost 36 years

10. Native American Help • Pilgrims began to clear land for crops in the Spring • The Wampanoag Indians helped them greatly • Squanto helped them the most • He had once been captured by an expedition for exploration and was taken to England where he learned English • He could communicate easily with the Pilgrims • He brought them seeds for corn, beans and pumpkins and taught them how to catch eels • After a great harvest that fall, they set aside a full day for giving thanks as they believed that the harvest and Squanto were sent from God • The tradition stuck and the Pilgrims celebrated for a day after each harvest with a day of Thanksgiving • We as Americans celebrate Thanksgiving as a national holiday every year