Plymouth Bay Colony

The Plymouth Bay Colony, also known as Plymouth Colony, was the first permanent European settlement in New England, founded in 1620 by the Pilgrim Fathers. These settlers, who were Separatists from the Church of England seeking religious freedom, sailed from England on the Mayflower.

Due to storms, they landed at Cape Cod instead of their intended destination. Before disembarking, 41 male passengers signed the Mayflower Compact, establishing a framework for self-government and agreeing to abide by laws for the colony's general good. This document is considered a foundational step in American democratic government.

The first winter was harsh, with about half the colonists dying. They were aided by the Wampanoag people, who taught them farming and hunting. This led to the first Thanksgiving in 1621, a harvest feast shared between the colonists and the Wampanoag. Plymouth Colony was later absorbed into the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691.