The document discusses the origins and founding of the Plymouth Colony by the Pilgrims in Massachusetts in 1620. It notes that the Pilgrims were a religious group seeking to separate themselves from the Church of England. In September 1620, over 100 travelers including Pilgrims, adventurers, and speculators embarked on the Mayflower voyage to establish a settlement. Upon arriving, the Pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact, establishing that the colony would be self-governed under majority rule, setting a tradition of self-rule in New England.