MAYFLOWER DAY | SEPTEMBER 16
Mayflower Day commemorates the day the ship set sail from Plymouth, England in 1620. On September 16 of 1620, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, England with 102 souls on board. These colonists- men, women, children, some seeking fortune, some seeking religious freedom – were later known as pilgrims.
#MayflowerDay
The colonists’ intended to land in Virginia. However, after 66 days at sea, storms and winds blew them off course. After spotting modern-day Cape Cod, the members of the Mayflower intended on exploring the mouth of the Hudson River. However, rough seas continued to plague the ship. They turned back and stayed at Cape Cod.
For the next few weeks, the Pilgrims explored Cape Cod and eventually settled on Plymouth for their plantation.
HOW TO OBSERVE MAYFLOWER DAY
Learn more about the journey of the Mayflower. Visit Plymouth Plantation and discover the history surrounding the Mayflower. Learn more about the voyage and those who made the journey. Find out about their decisions and the making of the settlement. Read from their journals and walk in their footsteps.
You can also watch a documentary or read about the Mayflower. The Mayflower and Her Passengers by Caleb H. Johnson and The Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick will both bring you inside the stories of the Pilgrims.
Use #MayflowerDay to post on social media.
MAYFLOWER DAY HISTORY
This day commemorates the day the Mayflower set sail for the New World. At the time, William Bradford, the separatist leader whose journal historians often reference for Mayflower history, recorded dates according to the Julian calendar. At that point in history, the world used both the Julian and the Gregorian (the calendar most often used today). The 10-day difference between the two calendars accounts for the different dates across historical documents of the Mayflower’s departure from Plymouth, England.
Mayflower FAQ
Q. Where can I see the Mayflower?
A. A replica of the Pilgrim’s vessel can be toured at Plimoth Patuxet Museum in Pilgrim Memorial State Park in Plymouth, MA.
Q. What happened to the original Mayflower?
A. The original Mayflower has been lost to time and history. No record of the ship can be found after 1624.