The Pilgrim Fathers

QUEEN ELIZABETH I , JAMES I AND THE RELIGIOUS PROBLEMS

Queen Elizabeth I, (the last of Tudor monarchs) died in 1603 without any children, so the throne passed to her cousin James VI of Scotland.

He became king with the name of James I (1603-1625). During the reign of James I the religious problems that Elizabeth had kept under control came to surface again. These problems involved Catholics, Protestants and also Puritans.

THE PURITANS: "SIMPLE LIFE AND HARD WORK"!

The Puritans were members of a division of the Protestant Church who believed in simple life and in hard work. They considered fun and pleasure sinful and were against all forms of entertainment such as dancing, going to the theatre and playing cards.

SOME PURITANS DECIDED TO CROSS THE ATLANTIC TO SETTLE IN AMERICA

They also wanted very simple forms of Church ceremonies but the Protestants didn’t allow them to worship as they wished. For these reasons some of them decided to cross the Atlantic and settle in America.

THE VOYAGE

The "Pilgrim Fathers" - this is what these people were called- sailed to Plymouth in North America on the Mayflower.

The voyage lasted sixty-seven days and many Pilgrims died. Those who survived and arrived in America received a friendly welcome by North American Indians, who taught them how to grow local plants.

(Chiara Piana, 2^A int.)