by Cindy Abbate

Created on: November 03, 2009

The Pilgrims landed in America in November of 1620. They had little time to prepare for the coming winter. It was to be a particularly nasty cold spell with exceptionally heavy sleet, rain and snow storms. They did not survive without losses but they did survive.

It can be argued that at least some of their ability to survive rests back in Holland and with the Dutch influence gained over their years of living there. The Dutch were known for their record keeping, efficient government and tolerant attitude. Before leaving Provincetown harbor they drew up the Mayflower Compact which was meant to establish a set of rules of conduct for life in their new home. The desired effect was to prevent the "strangers" (passengers not of the Pilgrim's Separatists beliefs) from going off on their own. It can be speculated that while the desire to practice their own beliefs was overwhelming they were able to tolerate the presence of others and recognized the need for the new government to include all onboard. The document seemed to have gotten them all in the same mind frame so that they would work for the betterment of the colony as a whole.

While docked at Southampton in England they met with Captain John Smith who sold them a detailed map of the area. The reading I've done on the how they came to settle where they did describe differently how the decision was reached. Some indicated that they came across an abandoned Indian village and declared something to the effect that "God had prepared a place for them" while others state that the map from John Smith labels the area Plymouth with an "X". There are also sources that indicated they settled in Squanto's (the English speaking Indian who would later help them) deserted village. It can be speculated that John Smith scouted out the empty village and the two descriptions are really one in the same.

It was a good place to begin a settlement with land where Indians had planted corn and a "sweet brook" which ran under a hillside. They had access to a good supply of fish from this fresh water source.

The first order of business was to erect a "Common House". It took three weeks to erect the building despite the weather. It was meant to be a storage place for supplies brought onshore from the Mayflower but circumstances turned it into a shelter and when the need called a hospital.

Huts, constructed of sod and sticks, were quickly erected about the main building. These were meant to give shelter to the workers, the others spent

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