On September 16, 1620, the Mayflower sailed from Plymouth,
England, bound for the Americas with 102 passengers. The
ship was headed for Virginia, where the colonists—half
religious dissenters and half entrepreneurs—had been
authorized to settle by the British crown. However, stormy
weather and navigational errors forced the Mayflower off
course, and on November 21 the “Pilgrims” reached
Massachusetts, where they founded the first permanent
European settlement in New England in late December.

Thirty-five of the Pilgrims were members of the radical
English Separatist Church, who traveled to America to
escape the jurisdiction of the Church of England, which
they found corrupt.

On December 18, 1620, the British ship Mayflower docked at modern-
day Plymouth, Massachusetts, and its passengers prepared to begin their
new settlement, Plymouth Colony.

The Mayflower sails from Plymouth, England, bound for the New World with
102 passengers. The ship was headed for Virginia, where the colonists–half religious dissenters and half entrepreneurs–had been authorized to settle by
the British crown. However, stormy weather and navigational errors forced
the Mayflower off course, and on November 21 the “Pilgrims” reached Massachusetts, where they built the first permanent European settlement
in New England in late December.

Depiction of the signing of a document that today is called the
Mayflower Compact. It was signed by 41 of the Pilgrim men and
John Carver was elected as the first governor of the colony.

John Carver (before 1584–1621)

ED DANAHUE

The "Mayflower", and its passengers, pilgrims from England, landed
at Plymouth Rock, MA. on this day in 1620.

Map of Native American Tribes and Pilgrim Colonies.

The first church service at Plymouth.

On this day in 1988, 270 people were killed when a Pan Am Boeing
747, Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, due to a terrorist attack.
 

The destruction caused by debris from the explosion on board Pan
Am Flight 103 over the village of Lockerbie.

TIM MAGUIRE

Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio is 44 years old today.

1997

2004