The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, Massachusetts on a return trip to England.

The Mayflower was a historic English ship that famously transported a group of English Puritans, known as the Pilgrims, from Plymouth, England, to the New World in 1620. Seeking religious freedom and better economic opportunities, the 102 passengers endured a challenging transatlantic voyage lasting approximately 66 days before arriving at Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination in Virginia. After anchoring in what is now Provincetown Harbor, the Pilgrims drafted the Mayflower Compact, an early form of self-government and a foundational document for future American democratic practices. The ship itself was a merchant vessel, not designed for passenger transport, making the journey perilous and uncomfortable. Despite the harsh winter and limited resources upon arrival, the Pilgrims established the Plymouth Colony, which became one of the earliest successful English settlements in North America.