The first Puritans, known as Pilgrims, arrived in Massachusetts in 1620 on the Mayflower to escape the corruption of the Church of England. They signed the Mayflower Compact upon arrival, creating the first legal document of the colony. The first winter was difficult and half of the original settlers died. However, by the 1630s over 20,000 people had immigrated to the colony, establishing Puritan ideals like hard work, frugality, and self-reliance that still influence American culture today.