The primary sources of the Mayflower and the pilgrims provide a firsthand account of this historic ship and the people it carried to the New World.
The following is a list of primary sources on the Mayflower & pilgrims:
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Of Plymouth Plantation by Governor William Bradford
Published in 1856, Of Plymouth Plantation is a manuscript by William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Colony, detailing the early history of the colony.
This 270-page manuscript was written between the years 1630 and 1651 and discusses topics such as the pilgrim’s experiences in the Netherlands prior to arriving in the New World, their voyage on the Mayflower and their life in Plymouth Colony.
Bradford explains in the manuscript that the reason he wrote it was so that the descendants of the pilgrims would know and appreciate the hardships and sacrifices the pilgrims made. Bradford never attempted to publish the manuscript during his lifetime and instead passed it down to his son William.
The book is considered the first American history book ever written and is also known by other names, such as History of the Plantation at Plymouth, The History of Plymouth Plantation, and William Bradford’s Journal.
A Relation or Journal of the Proceedings of the English Plantation Settled at Plymouth by Edward Winslow
Published in London in 1622, A Relation or Journal of the Proceedings of the English Plantation Settled at Plymouth, also known as Mourt’s Relation, is a booklet written by Plymouth colonist Edward Winslow, with contributions from William Bradford, and was written between November 1620 and November 1621.
The book is written in the matter-of-fact style of a journal and features a day-by-day account of the first few month of the colony.
The book describes in detail many events such as the landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth harbor, the settling of Plymouth colony, their relations with the local natives, the First Thanksgiving, and the arrival of the ship Fortune.
Neither Winslow or Bradford were identified as authors of the text in order to prevent the new colony from being associated with them since they were fugitive Christian separatists.
The booklet was written as promotional material for the new colony so it doesn’t always give the full picture of what was going on in the colony. For instance, it does mention that there was some “general sickness” upon arriving in Plymouth but doesn’t mention the death of nearly half the passengers during the first winter in 1620/1621.
One of the most important features of Mourt’s Relation is its inclusion of the Mayflower Compact, which was the first governing document of Plymouth colony and officially established law and order in the new colony.
Good News from New England by Edward Winslow
Published in London in 1624, Good News from New England is a book about the colonist’s second and third year at Plymouth. The book was written as promotional material to inform the colony’s investors about the colony’s progress.
The book details the pilgrim’s various diplomatic and trade exchanges with the local Native American tribe and discusses the colony’s struggles with food shortages, illness and the harsh New England weather.
The book is both a honest yet optimistic portrayal of the new colony and was written to reassure investors and supporters that the colony was making progress despite its challenges.
Glorious Progress of the Gospel Amongst the Indians by Edward Winslow
Published in London in 1649, Glorious Progress of the Gospel Amongst the Indians is an account of the pilgrim’s progress at converting the natives to Christianity. The report was intended to build support for the missionary work being done in the colonies.
In the report, Winslow describes the colony’s successes and challenges with their missionary activities. The report demonstrates early colonial attitudes towards Native Americans and the colonist’s belief that their religion and culture should be imposed on the natives.
New England’s Memorial by Nathaniel Morton
Published in Boston in 1669, New England’s Memorial is about the founding of Plymouth Colony. The book is a firsthand account of the period from the arrival of the Mayflower in 1620 to the division of land in 1623.
Nathaniel Morton was the nephew of Governor William Bradford and the secretary of Plymouth Colony for over 40 years from 1645 to his death in 1685, a position which enabled him to write the book. New England’s Memorial is widely regarded as the first history book published in the United States.
John Robinson’s Farewell Sermon
Delivered in July of 1620, John Robinson’s sermon was a parting message to the Mayflower pilgrims before they left for England where they would board their ships and travel to the New World.
John Robinson was the pilgrim’s pastor. He temporarily stayed behind in Holland with the rest of their group while they waited for the Mayflower pilgrims to settle the colony so they could later join them there.
In the sermon, Robinson reminded the pilgrims to be open to new ideas, he cautioned them against extreme religious views and advised them to be moderate in their faith and daily life, he encouraged them to support each other during tough times and he encouraged them to rely on their faith and place their trust in God.
John Robinson’s Farewell Letter to the Pilgrims
Written in July of 1620, this letter was written by the pilgrim’s pastor John Robinson. The letter was read to the group as they gathered to board their ships, the Speedwell and the Mayflower, in July of 1620.
In the letter, Robinson tells the group that some among them are “strangers” meaning they are not Christian separatists like themselves, but they should be loving and tolerant of each other’s differences because it is vital for the success of the colony in the New World.
He also reminds them to be mindful of their moral conduct, to remain open to change and to respect and coexist peacefully with the Native Americans.
The Mayflower Compact
Written and signed on November 11, 1620, the Mayflower Compact was a social contract the pilgrims created in order to establish law and order in Plymouth Colony.
Since the colonists only had permission from the king to settle in Virginia, they drew up the contract to establish English law in the new colony in New England until they could obtain a new patent from the king.
In the compact, the pilgrims declare themselves loyal subjects of King James and vow to work together to abide by and uphold English law in the colony.
The original document has been lost but three different copies exist, all with slightly different wording, spelling and capitalization, and were printed in three different publications: Mourt’s Relations by Edward Winslow, Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford and New England’s Memorial by Nathaniel Morton.
If you want to learn more about the pilgrims, check out this article on the best books about the Mayflower pilgrims.
Sources:
“Primary Sources.” Plimoth Patuxet, plimoth.org/for-teachers/teacher-tools/primary-sources
“Bradford’s Manuscript “Of Plimoth Plantation.” Mass.gov, mass.gov/info-details/bradfords-manuscript-of-plimoth-plantation
“Excerpt from New England’s Memorial (1669).” Plimoth Patuxet, plimoth.org/yath/unit-2/excerpt-from-new-englands-memorial-1669
“Mourt’s Relation: A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, 1622, Part I.” The Plymouth Colony Archive Project, histarch.illinois.edu/plymouth/mourt1.html