History Extra podcast
The pilgrim fathers: everything you wanted to know
Jun 8, 2024
Nick Bunker discusses the harsh conditions aboard the Mayflower, how the colonists survived the first winter, and why the pilgrim fathers are iconic in American consciousness.
44:21
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Quick takeaways
- The Pilgrim Fathers sought religious freedom from the Church of England and were successful in establishing thriving colonies without relying on slave labor.
- Facing harsh conditions aboard the Mayflower, Pilgrims survived with the help of Native Americans like Squanto who aided in agriculture and diplomacy.
Deep dives
The Origins and Composition of the Pilgrim Fathers
The Pilgrim Fathers were a core group of 137 English settlers who founded the Plymouth Colony in 1620 and 1621, with two groups arriving on the Mayflower and the Fortune. Their importance lies in being an iconic cultural symbol linked to the origin of the American Republic and English settlement in the Northeast United States. Unlike the struggling Jamestown colony, Plymouth was successful, resilient, and not reliant on slave labor.
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