Kristen Rajczak Nelson - The Mayflower Compact

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rajczak, Kristen.

The Mayflower Compact / by Kristen Rajczak.

p. cm. (Documents that shaped America) Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-4339-9006-9 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-1-4339-9007-6 (6-pack)

ISBN 978-1-4339-9005-2 (library binding)

1. Mayflower Compact(1620)Juvenile literature. 2. Mayflower (Ship)Juvenile literature. 3. Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony)Juvenile literature. I. Rajczak, Kristen. II.

Title.

F68.R35 2014

974.482d23

First Edition

Published in 2014 by

Gareth Stevens Publishing

111 East 14th Street, Suite 349

New York, NY 10003

Copyright 2014 Gareth Stevens Publishing

Designer: Sarah Liddell

Editor: Therese Shea

Photo credits: Cover, p. photo courtesy of WIkimedia Commons, Constitution of the United States, page 1.jpg.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Printed in the United States of America

CPSIA compliance information: Batch #CS13GS: For further information contact Gareth Stevens, New York, New York at 1-800-542-2595.

CONTENTS

BEGINNINGS

Despite fierce storms and rough seas, 102 men, women, and children on a ship called the Mayflower sailed safely into Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in November 1620. Known today as Pilgrims, they were weary from enduring 2 months of tossing waves and seasickness. No doubt they were anxious about starting a new life so far from the one they had known in Europe. Some of the group had escaped years of religious .

Before even setting foot on land, the group agreed to the Mayflower Compact, the first written framework of government established in the New World. Though only about 200 words long, this helped set the tone for future governments in the British coloniesand eventually in the United States.

Its a Fact!

The word pilgrim can mean anyone who takes a long journey, commonly for religious reasons. The group who landed at Cape Cod in 1620 werent called Pilgrims until the early 1800s.

The Pilgrims likely knew the ideas expressed in the Magna Carta and kept them in mind when planning their government in the New World.

THE MAGNA CARTA

Long before the Declaration of Independence listed the of the American colonists, nobles in England demanded the king respect their traditional rights in a document called the Magna Carta. It was first written in 1215 but was changed several times. Perhaps the best-known part of the document states that any man accused of wrongdoing has the right to a trial decided by the lawful judgment of his peers. This idea later became part of the US Constitution.

Magna Carta

were fined and could even be thrown in jail. Tired of this treatment, a group called the Separatists left England in 1608 and settled in the Netherlands.

Though the Separatists stayed in the city of Leiden for more than 10 years, they werent content in the Netherlands. They could practice their faith openly, but they found little work and didnt have much money. In addition, their children seemed to be forgetting their English . There were also concerns about a war between the Dutch and the Spanish. By 1620, the Separatists were ready to leave. They decided to go to the British colonies.

King Henry VIII

Its a Fact!

Though the Separatists left England, they remained loyal to the British king.

In this image, the Separatists leave the Netherlands, praying for a better life in the British colonies in America.

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND

After a disagreement with the pope, King Henry VIII turned against the Roman Catholic Church. He established a new church called the Church of England in 1534 and made himself its leader. After a time, many people in England became unhappy with the new church. A group called the Puritans wanted changes made. Others, called Separatists, wanted to separate from the Church of England and form new churches. Both the Separatists and Puritans faced persecution in England.

For the money and supplies they needed for the journey, the Separatists turned to the Virginia Company of London, a group of investors. In exchange, the Separatists agreed to send natural resources such as wood and furs from the colonies to the business for 7 years. Their land and homes would belong to the Virginia Company during that period, too.

The group living in the Netherlands planned to establish a farming community in the northern part of the Virginia Colony, near present-day New York City. The Virginia Company granted the Separatists a legal document stating they had permission from the king for their settlement. This is called a charter or patent. The document was only meant for Virginia, however, which had far-reaching effects.

Its a Fact!

Some of the Pilgrims werent Separatists. They were passengers who also wished to travel to America. The Separatists sometimes called these passengers strangers.

JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA

Established in 1607, the colony of Jamestown was the first successful British colony in North America. It was settled by the Virginia Company. By the time the Pilgrims left England, Jamestown was growing in population and prosperity. Tobacco crops were flourishing. The colonists had begun electing their own representatives to a colonial assembly headed by a royal governor. In addition, the first ship with slaves had arrived.

Native Americans greeted and aided the Jamestown colonists in establishing their new settlement.

ABOARD the MAYFLOWER

On September 6, 1620, the Pilgrims set sail on a ship provided by the Virginia Company. The Mayflower wasnt a passenger ship. Before carrying the Pilgrims, it had been transporting goods all around Europe. While the captain of the ship had warm, dry quarters, there werent rooms for passengers to sleep in. So, for 66 days, the Pilgrims lived in the windowless lower deck where the Mayflower usually held its cargo.

Rough seas and the unwelcoming space made the journey aboard the Mayflower uncomfortable. The Pilgrims brought food such as bacon, biscuits, cabbage, and turnipsbut they often felt too seasick to eat. Their vegetables ran out eventually, and they had to eat bowls of mush and oatmeal.