We over at One Stop Motors love boats. Everything about these vessels of aquatic capabilities resonates with majesty. From hull to deck and everything in-between, OSM is aboard with our adore for boats. With that in mind, we have decided to bring a new series to our boating blog; Famous Ships. Here we will get an in-depth look into the most notorious of ships that have made their mark in the history books. Some you may know, others you will learn about, but all have earned their spot at the top of the list.
In honor of Thanksgiving this week, we’ve elected to start out our series by taking a look at the ship that started it all. That’s right, The Mayflower. As any American can tell you, The Mayflower was the ship that brought the first official wave of English settlers over to North America. The Pilgrims, as they have come to be called, voyaged across the Atlantic Ocean in search of religious freedom. What most people do not know about is whatever became of The Mayflower after that legendary trip.
While we tend to associate The Mayflower with Pilgrims and Pilgrims with Thanksgiving (or John Wayne quotes), most Americans couldn’t begin to explain the details of this trip to a new land. It’s not entirely our fault, the tale of Thanksgiving is one that is taught in elementary school and while the intentions of the story may stick with us, the details have faded. The English Separatists (Pilgrims) had grown tired of the current religious systems in place (primarily attributed to the Protestant Reformation) and decided to establish a colony in America. What most people don’t realize is that the English colony in Jamestown, Virginia had already been established in 1607. When you hear that the Pilgrims were the first settlers to come to America, you’ll now know that this is not true. They weren’t even the first English settlers, they were second.
In September 16th 1620, 102 Separatists boarded The Mayflower, along with about 30 crew members and they set sail for the mouth of the Hudson River (modern day New York City area). In November 21st 1620, The Mayflower dropped anchor inside the Cape Cod area. Thrown off course by winter and forced to wait it out within the ship, the Pilgrims finally set foot on what is now known as Plymouth Rock on March 31st 1621. On April 15th, with the settlers unloaded, The Mayflower set sail back to England.
As we know from those early education history classes, the Pilgrims went on to build a relationship with the natives and celebrate the first of what is now known as Thanksgiving. What happened to The Mayflower, though? It is highly assumed, although not yet proven, that after the death of Captain Christopher Jones, The Mayflower was dismembered and used for scrap timber in Rotherhithe, London during 1623. There are few places in London speculated to have been built with this timber, but none have been proven to be authentic.
The lasting result of The Mayflower is that it is widely acknowledged as the vessel of independence to the American culture. A symbol of our ancestor’s plight and willingness to stand up for what they believe in. It is the ship that brought the Old World to the New and will always be remembered for its duty done in history. As Thanksgiving comes around later this week, take time to tell the story of The Mayflower to your family; that they might know our ancestors were thankful for the refuge they took in her hull that biting winter of 1620.
Tyler Baker; OSM Writer
( Source : The Mayflower History )
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