Show notes
The remarkable story of the courage and suffering of the passengers aboard the Mayflower and the establishment of the Plymouth Colony. Postcard of the Mayflower
On November 11, 1620, a 100 foot long cargo ship called the Mayflower entered what is today known as Provincetown Harbor, virtually on the tip of present day Cape Cod. This was the culmination of over two months at sea for 102 immigrants, originally from England, some of this contingent intent on establishing their own religious settlement in the New World, free from persecution from the British crown. Their Atlantic crossing was difficult, their time spent mostly below deck, lashed by gale driven waves that left them and their clothes and quarters in a miserably damp and chilly condition, their diet of hardtack, dried meat and watered down beer little comfort. Artist's rendition William Bradford
William Bradford was born in March of 1590, in Austerfield, Yorkshire, England. The exact date is unknown although he was baptized on March 19 of that same year. Many members of his family died when he was a child, and Bradford was orphaned by the age of seven. Sent to live with two uncles, he spent most of his time as a farm laborer and his leisure activity consisted of reading and studying the Bible and other classic philosophical tracts. Intellectually curious, he was exposed to various sermons of area preachers who radically suggested that the Church of England was still inappropriately influenced by Catholicism. Edward Winslow
Figuring he couldn’t just abandon the Billington boy, Bradford ordered ten armed men, including Edward Winslow, to load up the small sailing ship used during exploration, take Squanto and another native interpreter, Tokamahamon and head to eastern Cape Cod and Nauset territory. A storm forced the boat to come ashore at what is now Barnstable, Massachusetts, on the northern shore of the Cape, about halfway across the lower portion of the peninsula. Mayflower passengers praying during Atlantic crossing
The passengers were situated on the deck immediately located underneath the open air of the main deck. While they could hear waves and smell sea water, they were unable to view the horizon or the surface of the sea around them. Tossed practically on top of each other in makeshift compartments created by cloth curtains, the Separatist contingent strived to get along with each other, realizing that the stress of the voyage would only be increased by personality conflicts. Signing the Mayflower Compact
This premature landing outside of territory designated by British authorities presented an immediate problem. Since the Stranger contingent on board was inclined to dispute any attempts at the Separatists controlling the governance of the colonists once they landed, assertions were made that as a result of the ship landing in an undesignated territory, they were free to do as they wished and were not obliged to respect any other authority. To address this situation several charismatic individuals on board the ship composed an agreement that set out specifically what laws and guidelines should be followed by the community. Containing ideas generally...
On November 11, 1620, a 100 foot long cargo ship called the Mayflower entered what is today known as Provincetown Harbor, virtually on the tip of present day Cape Cod. This was the culmination of over two months at sea for 102 immigrants, originally from England, some of this contingent intent on establishing their own religious settlement in the New World, free from persecution from the British crown. Their Atlantic crossing was difficult, their time spent mostly below deck, lashed by gale driven waves that left them and their clothes and quarters in a miserably damp and chilly condition, their diet of hardtack, dried meat and watered down beer little comfort. Artist's rendition William Bradford
William Bradford was born in March of 1590, in Austerfield, Yorkshire, England. The exact date is unknown although he was baptized on March 19 of that same year. Many members of his family died when he was a child, and Bradford was orphaned by the age of seven. Sent to live with two uncles, he spent most of his time as a farm laborer and his leisure activity consisted of reading and studying the Bible and other classic philosophical tracts. Intellectually curious, he was exposed to various sermons of area preachers who radically suggested that the Church of England was still inappropriately influenced by Catholicism. Edward Winslow
Figuring he couldn’t just abandon the Billington boy, Bradford ordered ten armed men, including Edward Winslow, to load up the small sailing ship used during exploration, take Squanto and another native interpreter, Tokamahamon and head to eastern Cape Cod and Nauset territory. A storm forced the boat to come ashore at what is now Barnstable, Massachusetts, on the northern shore of the Cape, about halfway across the lower portion of the peninsula. Mayflower passengers praying during Atlantic crossing
The passengers were situated on the deck immediately located underneath the open air of the main deck. While they could hear waves and smell sea water, they were unable to view the horizon or the surface of the sea around them. Tossed practically on top of each other in makeshift compartments created by cloth curtains, the Separatist contingent strived to get along with each other, realizing that the stress of the voyage would only be increased by personality conflicts. Signing the Mayflower Compact
This premature landing outside of territory designated by British authorities presented an immediate problem. Since the Stranger contingent on board was inclined to dispute any attempts at the Separatists controlling the governance of the colonists once they landed, assertions were made that as a result of the ship landing in an undesignated territory, they were free to do as they wished and were not obliged to respect any other authority. To address this situation several charismatic individuals on board the ship composed an agreement that set out specifically what laws and guidelines should be followed by the community. Containing ideas generally...