September 16 marks Mayflower Day, remembering the day in 1620 when the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, beginning one of the best-known voyages in early American history.
The ship carried 102 passengers, along with roughly 30 crew members, on a journey across the Atlantic that would eventually lead to the founding of Plymouth Colony.
Many of the passengers were English Separatists seeking a place where they could practice their religion with greater freedom. Others were looking for new economic opportunities and a chance to build a different life in the New World.
The trip was far from easy.
The Mayflower spent about 66 days at sea, battling rough weather and strong winds. The passengers had originally planned to reach the area of Virginia, but the storms pushed the ship north of its intended destination.
In November 1620, the Mayflower reached what is now Cape Cod, Massachusetts. After exploring the area and determining that it was not suitable for their original plans, the passengers eventually made their way to Plymouth.
Before going ashore, the men aboard the ship agreed to a document that became known as the Mayflower Compact. It established an agreement for governing the new settlement and is remembered as an important early example of self-government in colonial America.
The first winter in Plymouth was extremely difficult, and many of the settlers died. Those who survived eventually established a permanent community, with relationships developing with Native peoples already living in the region.
Today, Mayflower Day offers an opportunity to look back at the people, decisions and hardships surrounding the voyage — and to remember how one 17th-century sea journey became an important chapter in American history.
The original Mayflower eventually disappeared from the historical record. A replica, Mayflower II, can be visited today at Plimoth Patuxet Museums in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Mayflower Day is observed each year on September 16.
Sources: National Day Calendar
