September 16, 1620 the historic voyage began with 102 souls. Two died and two new souls were brought into earth before they touched land at Plymouth December 26th.
The English ship the Mayflower carried Separatist Puritans, to Plymouth, Mass. The 37 Leiden Separatists, later known as pilgrims, were part of the 102 passengers of the Mayflower. The others were colonists who had been granted territory in Virginia.

      The Pilgrims wanted to set up a holy city where they could govern them selves and worship God in their own way. The colonists just wanted to get to their territory in Virginia and weren't interested in what the Pilgrims wanted.
That day 41 men signed the so-called Mayflower Compact, a "plantation covenant" modeled after a Separatist church covenant, by which they agreed to establish a "Civil Body Politic" (a temporary government) and to be bound by its laws.
After weeks of looking for a suitable settlement area, the Mayflower's passengers finally landed at Plymouth on Dec. 26, 1620.

      The Mayflower remained at Plymouth during the first harsh winter of 1620-21, half the colonists died . Harvest in the Autumn of 1621 was bountiful, and in celebration the Pilgrims held the first Thanksgivings.
The Mayflower left Plymouth on Apr. 15, 1621, and arrived back in England on May 16 but was never again used as a passenger ship.