by Cindy Abbate

Created on: November 01, 2009   Last Updated: November 02, 2009

The Pilgrims whose name is derived from pilgrimage (a religious journey), wanted the freedom to observe their faith. They interpreted the Bible differently than did the State Church of England.

The official Church of England was determined by the ruling monarchy. The Bible used was the King James translation and there could be no straying from the church's interpretation of its pages. Differing from the church could result in penalties from fines to death.

The Pilgrims were Separatists. They believed that the State Church was so flawed that only by establishing a new church could they be comfortable with their way of worship. Queen Elizabeth was actually quite tolerant of other beliefs, but upon her death, the Tudor reign came to a close and King James (all ready King of Scotland) took over. His views on religious dissent were quite harsh.

The Separatists believed in simple worship without the ceremonies practiced by the State Church. Their refusal to engage in the accepted religion was sure to bring the wrath of the King. They gathered in Scrooby England to determine their next course of action. They needed to leave but where to go?

Holland had won its battle for independence from Spain and had adopted a free market philosophy. It was one of the most liberal countries in Europe and an obvious candidate to receive dissenters from England. They were allowed by the Dutch to settle in the villages of Amsterdam and Leiden in spite of protests from King James.

The Separatists enjoyed eleven years of freedom in Holland but they did not come without a price. They found it hard to make a living, many settling into the textile industry, as they were barred from the Dutch guilds. They also had the common problem of losing the attention of their younger generation. The youth had a tendency to blend more easily and completely into Dutch society than their parents may have liked.

However living in another country with a policy of tolerance was not lost upon the Separatists. It should be noted that their time in Holland resulted in them becoming more liberal of other viewpoints. For example John Robinson was invited to lecture at Leiden University. He never gave his up own beliefs but became aware that people from different backgrounds and religions could live together in peace. This attitude would serve them well in the new world. Also the Dutch had a flair for record keeping, efficient government and civic responsibility that also influenced the Pilgrims during their stay.

The dream of having their own land rather than living as exiles never left them. Besides the fear of losing their identity, they could hear the war drums beating in Holland. The treaty of Antwerp (between Spain and Holland) was to expire in 1621, so leaving for a foreign land became that much more attractive. When the opportunity arose to obtain funding and a charter to the New World the group decided to pursue the offer.

The Virginia Company offered to help pay their way so long as they spent seven years working as indentured servants. Only after this period of time could they keep any fruits of their labors for themselves. King James refused to grant the charter, but agreed that he would do nothing to stop the colony from being established.

They decided to leave Holland and set out on their own. Their journey would not be easy or profitable, but it resulted in the foundation of our way of life.

Sources for this article are listed below

http://www.theadvocates.org

http://en.wikipedia.org

http:www.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Learn more about this author, Cindy Abbate.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.