The Mayflower voyage in 1620 transported 102 passengers and an estimated 30 crew members from Plymouth, England to the New World. This established the first English colony in America and the story of the Pilgrims' survival in the harsh winter has become part of early American history. The Mayflower Compact, an early form of self-government, was signed on this voyage. After years of struggle, the American colonies emerged as thriving communities but began resisting interference and taxation from England, leading to the Boston Tea Party protest in 1773 and the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775. The last battle was at Yorktown in 1781, leading to American independence being formally recognized in the 1783 Treaty of Paris.

1. The Journey Begins
The Mayflower was the ship that
transported the first English Separatists,
known today as the Pilgrims, from
Plymouth to the New World in 1620.
There were 102 passengers, and the crew
is estimated to have been about 30, but
the exact number is unknown. This
voyage has become an story in some of
the earliest annals of American history,
with its story of death and of survival in
the harsh New England winter
environment. The n of the voyage in the
signing of the Mayflower Compact was
an event which established a rudimentary
form of democracy, with each member
contributing to the welfare of the
community.

2. After Early Struggles…
After years of struggle and hardships the
American Colonies emerged as thriving
communities with industry and limited,
but effective self-government. Founded
upon the early pilgrim’s quest for
freedom, these settlers had a strong since
of self-sufficiency and independence. As
England began demanding more and
more of America’s resources to support
her many wars, the colonists began to
resist this interference and whispers of
rebellion began to be heard. Many of the
colonists, at this time, had never seen
England and had no loyalty and fewer
ties to the mother country than did earlier
settlers. England responded to this
resistance by punishment through the
form of taxation.

3. The Rebellion Begins
On December 16, 1763 colonists,
dressed like American Indians threw
boxes of tea, a cargo that was heavily
taxed, into the Boston Harbor as an act
of rebellion against the tax. Their action
was an attempt to make a statement to
England that America would refuse to be
unfairly taxed.
The Boston Tea Party, as it became to be
known, helped escalate the dispute
between England and her American
Colonies.
England responded by attempting to
limit America’s ability to govern itself
and America responded by forming the
Continental Congress. These and other
events culminated in the Revolutionary
War that began in Boston, 1775.

4. The War for American Independence
The American Revolutionary War was
fought from 1775 to 1783. It was also
known as the American War of
Independence. The Revolutionary War
began with the confrontation between
British troops and local militia at
Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts,
on 19 April 1775.
The last battle of the American
Revolution was fought at Yorktown,
where General George Washington, with
both French and Continental troops
defeated the British. Peace negotiations
began in 1782, and on September 3,
1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed,
formally recognizing the United States as
a free and independent nation after eight
years of war. America was born.