Destination Spotlight

Massachusetts – Plymouth

Experience a town rich in heritage and natural beauty when visiting Plymouth, Massachusetts, the site of the first permanent European settlement in New England. The pilgrims founded Plymouth on December 21, 1620, establishing a settlement that became the seat of Plymouth Colony in 1633.

• Climb aboard the Mayflower II, a replica of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America from Plymouth, England.
• Explore the cramped quarters of the ship’s passengers. Peer down into the lower level “hold,” where the food, clothing, furniture, tools and other items necessary to start a colony were stored. Admire the “spacious” Master’s cabin, and compare it to the wet and windy accommodations of the common sailors.
• Students explore the Plimoth Plantation, a village that recreates the lives of the Pilgrims, America’s most famous immigrants. The year 1627, seven years after the colonists first arrived, comes to life in the village when students are surrounded by the houses, gardens, and fascinating townspeople.

Did you know:

• The Mayflower brought 102 passengers and at least 18 crewmembers to Plymouth in 1620.
• The Pilgrims were English Separatists who broke away from the Church of England because they felt that it had not completed the work of the Reformation. The Pilgrims are most famous for founding Plymouth Colony in New England.
• The voyage on the 180-ton Mayflower took 65 days and landed at Provincetown, Cape Cod.

Links:

Plimoth Plantation