PILGRIMS FATHERS and PLYMOUTH STONE

In 1608 a group of nonconformists fled to the Netherlands to escape persecution in England. They did not feel at home in the Netherlands: they did not want to follow a Dutch way of life or learn the Dutch language. So, in November 1620 a group of men, women and children established a colony in North America: the reasons were very different, thew were not searching for gold, but for the freedom to follow their religion without persecution. They were called the Pilgrim Fathers. They are also known as the Forefathers, the First Comers and the Old Stock. The ship that the pilgrims chose for their voyage to the new world was called the Mayflower. It sailed from London to Southampton, where it met up with the Speedwell. The two ships set sail together for the New World in August 1620, but were forced to turn back because the Speedwell was leaking very badly. The Pilgrims decided to abandon the Speedwell and they crowded onto the Mayflower. The navy carrying 120 passengers left Plymouth (England) on September 6, 1620. Initially the trip went smoothly, but under way they were met with strong winds and storms. One of these caused a main beam to crack, and although they were more than half the way to their destination, the possibility of turning back was considered. Using a "great iron screw" (probably a piece of house construction equipment)[27] brought along by the colonists, they repaired the ship sufficiently to continue. One passenger, John Howland, was washed overboard in the storm but caught a rope and was rescued. One of the organizers of the expedition to the New World was named William Bradford. He wrote a journal recording the adventures of the pilgrims on the crossing. Bradford later became governor of the Pilgrims new settlement. The crossing was not a good one, it took 64 days from when it sailed out of Plymouth Harbor in England until land was sighted in the New World. The voyage was rough and stormy. The Mayflower, so, anchored at Provincetown Harbor on the November 11, the Pilgrims looked for a place to settle. Looking for somewhere to land, the Pilgrims on board started arguing. Some simply wanted to get off the ship, no matter where, others wanted to sail on and look for a really good landing place, close to other settlements. Some of the Pilgrims threatened to break from the group and set out alone, but in the end they agreed it would be better to stay together, and they all drew up a document laying down the laws and aims of the new colony. This document has became known as the Mayflower Compact. It was signed on board on November 21, 1620. The Pilgrims finally found somewhere with a safe harbor, several freshwater streams, and some abandoned fields (on December 17): they called the place New Plymouth.

Plymouth Colony was, along with Jamestown, Virginia, one of the earliest successful colonies to be founded by the English in North America and the first sizable permanent English settlement in the New England region. The Native Americans had lived off the land for many centuries, and they were generous with their advice to the pilgrims. They showed them how to plant the corn they had taken from an abandoned store the previous winter and taught them new ways of cooking, farming and fishing. Without it, the new colony would probably not survived because the winter of 1620 was very harder. During first winter nearly half the group perished. What is the Plymouth Stone? Plymouth Rock is the stone upon which the Pilgrims were said to have stepped when the Mayflower arrived in Plymouth harbor on 21 December 1620. Identified in 1741 by Thomas Faunce, who was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1650, the massive rock was moved to the Town Square in 1774. Placed under an ornate portico in 1880, it was moved for the Tercentenary celebration in 1921 under an elaborate granite canopy on the hill overlooking Plymouth harbor. Although no evidence supports its legend, Plymouth Rock is a national icon that attracts countless tourists each year.

Fled to flee: fuir, to escape: s'chapper. It sailed to sail: naviguer. Was leaking to leak: couler, prendre l'eau. Crowded to crowd: s'entasser Carrying to carry: transporter Smoothly: doucement Winds: vents Storms: orages Screw: vis, tour de vis Caught -> to catch: attraper Sighted -> to sight: apercevoir Rough: dur, agit Anchored -> to anchor: ancrer Arguing-> to argue: disputer No Matter....: quel que... Threatened-> to threaten: menacer Laying down: poser, tablir Laws: lois Several: plusieurs Streams: ruisseaux
Fields: champs