01x01 - The Mayflower Voyagers

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Date, September 6th, 1620.

Just 128 years since Columbus
discovered America.

The place, the harbor
of Plymouth in England.

A tiny ship called the Mayflower
is being boarded by 102 people.

There are 70 men and
women, 32 children,

a handful of c*ck and
hens and pets, and a dog.

Some of the voyagers are people
who today we call pilgrims.

They are leaving their homeland

to seek more religious
freedom in the New World.

Some of the passengers,
known as strangers,

are merely seeking
wealth in the New Land.

Some are indentured servants,

and the rest are the crew
who will sail the Mayflower.

The pilgrims have a contract
with English merchants

who will finance the journey.

The pilgrims and the merchants
will share any profits

from the new settlement.

This, however, is a most
dangerous undertaking.

The voyagers realize that
their very lives are at risk.

They must cross the treacherous
North Atlantic in a very small ship.

The journey will take many
weeks on the open sea.

Men, women, and children

will be traveling in unbelievably
crowded conditions,

sharing what little space there
is with the precious cargo.

The voyagers will hardly have any
room in which to sleep and eat,

let alone move about.

Many will be leaving
loved ones behind.

And even if they survive
this dangerous crossing,

they will arrive at
a virtual wilderness.

However, their belief in God,

their desire for freedom
from religious persecution,

and their dreams of creating a
new world for future generations,

all make their life-threatening
journey a risk worth taking.

Their adventures will change
the course of American history.

For the first weeks,
there are favorable winds.

The Mayflower makes steady
progress across the sea.

Unfortunately, even in good weather,

the conditions aboard
ship are miserable.

There are no sanitary provisions
and very little privacy.

Some have to sleep
on straw on the floors.

Some on board get violently seasick.

The children, ranging in age
from a few months old to 15,

grow restless.

After the first few weeks
of favorable winds,

the North Atlantic Ocean
finally turns its full fury

on the tiny Mayflower.

Damaging crosswinds
and violent storms

continue straining the Mayflower
to the breaking point.

The passengers are forced to stay
inside in the foul-smelling cabins.

I'm not feeling well, Linus.

I'm not either, Charlie Brown.

How much farther do we have to go?

I'm not sure.

I think someone said
we're about halfway.

Oh, no.

Come on, Charlie Brown, shape up.

You can't let this
little wind bother you.

The storm's become so violent that
the crew is forced to haul the ship

to go to short sail or
practically no sail at all.

This keeps the sails
from ripping apart.

But now, the Mayflower is like a cork,

bobbing up and down
helpless on the great ocean.

What was all the yelling about on deck?

They just saved John Howland's life.

The storm blew him overboard.

Oh, no.

And now there's another problem.

Now what?

We may have to return to England.

Turn back? Are they crazy?

After all we've been through?

The storm damaged one of
the main beams at midships.

The beam is cracked and bowed.

So why can't they fix it?

Why can't we just go on?

Some of the crew think that our ship
has already taken too much of a beating.

At least if we turn and head for home,
the winds will be at our back.

What's going to become of us, Linus?

Well, I think it's up to Captain Jones.

He's the captain. Let him tell us.

Captain, we can't risk all these lives.
We must turn back.

If we can fix that beam,
we will go on.

We've come too far to turn back now.

After many hours of debate,

a great jack screw forces the
sprung main beam back into place.

There it is secured to the timbers.

A post is placed under
the main beam to brace it.

The Mayflower's Captain
Jones has faith in his ship.

And the Pilgrims have
faith in their God.

And they all decide to further risk
their lives to reach the new world.

The date is November 9th, 1620.
It is daybreak.

Do you miss England?

I really miss my grandmother
and grandfather.

Boy, I really miss my friends.

I wonder if there'll be any
children in the new world.

My mother and father seem worried.

This must be a really dangerous trip.

How long have we been
on this ship, Linus?

This is our 65th day, Charlie Brown.

Good grief.

Nine weeks.

I'm going to have a long talk
with whoever planned this trip.

Do you think we're
going to make it, Linus?

I hardly have any strength left.

Charlie Brown, we have to keep faith.

A bath and some new clothes
wouldn't hurt either.

A lot of the others are
starting to give up.

They don't think we'll ever get there.

We have to get there.

Why is that, Lucy?

Because I have to lodge all my
complaints about this terrible trip.

Land h*! Land h*!

We made it, Charlie Brown!

We made it!

We did it, Lucy!
We did it!

We crossed the great ocean!

Just point me to the suggestion box.

I've got a few choice words
for the captain of this ship.

Good grief.

Mayflower has arrived.

The date, November 9th, 1620.

She first sights land 65 days and


The average speed, 2 miles per hour.

Two days later, on November 11th,
at 6.30 in the morning,

they make their first landing at what
today we call Provincetown Harbor.

Because they have
no charter or rules

for the wilderness that
stands before them,

the Pilgrims write an
historic agreement,

which will eventually be
called the Mayflower Compact.

It establishes the plans for
making the laws in the future.

After an unsuccessful attempt
to navigate further south,

the Mayflower returns
to Provincetown Harbor.

The first group of men
prepares to leave the ship

and explore their new home.

All the bone-worry
passengers hope and pray

that the worst is behind them.

Of the original 102
passengers, 101 arrive.

Two having died in the crossing
and one baby having been born.

How many of these people will
survive a winter in the wilderness

is still in grave doubt.

For the first few days,
the weary travelers have some relief.

Clothes can be washed on shore
for the first time in two months.

Juniper trees supply kindling
to fuel fires aboard ship.

The smoke from the fires rids the
Mayflower of its terrible smell.

Fish and fowl provide
desperately needed food.

Even great whales,
leaping all around the ship,

seem to welcome the newcomers.

But during the next four weeks,

the Pilgrims have one
disappointment after another.

A small group of men explores
the nearby wilderness,

but is unable to find a
suitable place or settlement.

Wild animals scream out in the night.

Many of the passengers,

most of whom are still
cooped up on the Mayflower,

start to become ill.

The few explorers on land
desperately look for any sign of life,

any sign of friendly Indians
who might help them survive.

Then, suddenly, one day...

Look, over there!

Four, five, six Indians and a dog!

Put down your muskets.
Let's see if they'll talk.

Let's walk slowly toward them.

Smile. Show them we
don't want to harm them.

Oh no, they're running away!

They must be afraid. Quickly,
we must chase after them!

The explorers try to find the Indians,

going at least ten miles inland.

But the Indians have vanished.

By the end of the fourth week,

the explorers are near exhaustion.

They plan to return to the
Mayflower the next day.

A few days later,
the Mayflower sets sail

for a more hospitable harbor,

discovered earlier by the
small band of explorers.

Several passengers have died
during the stay at Provincetown,

which the Mayflower
leaves on November 15th.

They lay anchor in Plymouth
on November 16th.

On land, they discover a miracle.

Much land has been cleared,
probably by some Indians,

though again, there
are no Indians in sight.

There is much land
suitable for planting crops,

and much land on which to
start building their settlement.

A week after arrival, they start
building their common house.

But at this moment of high hopes,

tragedy starts to stalk the pilgrims.

The three months of forced
confinement aboard the Mayflower

starts to take its toll.

The harsh winter,
freezing snowstorms,

beat down on the pilgrims.

At least half of the
adults lay sick or dying.

Only six or seven adults

are ever well enough at one
time to carry on the daily work.

The Mayflower becomes a hospital ship.

When the common
house is finally finished,

it too becomes a hospital.

Miraculously, the 30 children survive,

and many of them must take
on the chores of their elders.

All right, everybody, listen up.

These will be your chores for today.

Charlie Brown and Linus,

you get the wintergreen
and the chickerberries.

Peppermint Patty and Marcy,

you get the kindling.

Snoopy and Woodstock,

you get the drinking water.

Sally and I will try to patch
up some of these clothes.

Everyone be back here
within two hours.

And who put you in charge, Lucille?

Captain Miles Standish, that's who.

People with pretty faces
are always put in charge.

Linus, do you think
we're all going to die?

We have to have faith,
Charlie Brown.

We just have to do the
best we can each day.

I'm really scared.

It seems we're losing one or
two people every day now.

They're starting to
build the first houses.

Captain Standish says,

if we can just make it until spring,
we have a chance.

Do you think we have enough berries?

I'm freezing.

I think we should collect
some more, Charlie Brown.

On the other hand,
maybe we do have enough.

I'm afraid of the wolves, sir.

Forget the wolves, Marcy.

I'm afraid of the Indians, sir.

Forget the Indians, Marcy.

Besides, we haven't seen any
since we landed in this harbor.

I'm afraid of the storms, sir.

Forget the storms, Marcy.

What makes you so brave, sir?

People with big noses
are naturally brave.

Yow, sir!

There's a snake!

Yow!

We can stop running now, sir.

Why is that?

I made it up, sir.

There really wasn't a snake.

Marcy!

But thank you, sir.

For what?

I'm not afraid anymore.

Why is that?

The way we ran away from that snake,

I think we can outrun anything alive.

Marcy, you're weird.

We sure are lucky to have Captain
Standish as our military leader.

Even if he isn't one of us pilgrims.

That's for sure.

He helps with the building.

He nurses the sick.

He's even going to train
us to defend ourselves.

Defend ourselves? From what?

The Indians!

We know they're out there somewhere
and they can attack us any day.

I hope they don't attack today.

Why today?

I haven't finished the wash yet.

By the end of February,

two-and-a-half months
after landing at Plymouth,

no Indians have been seen.

But the combination
of a terrible winter

and lack of nutritious food
and necessary medical supplies

has been devastating.

Half of the original 102
passengers have died.

Only 20 adults and 30
children have survived.

As the winter continues through
the first days of March,

nothing less than a miracle is
needed to save the few survivors.

The strong faith of
the surviving pilgrims

is just about all they have left.

Even Captain Miles Standish

has been heard saying that time
may be running out on the survivors.

In early March, the survivors
must make a decision.

Shall they return to
England on the Mayflower,

or shall they try to survive
in the wilderness?

And then, a miracle.

Look, Linus.

He's not carrying any weapons.

Welcome, Englishman.

My name's Samoset.

My people welcome you to our land.

He speaks English.

Welcome, Englishman.

Welcome.

And who might you be?

My name's Samoset.

My people welcome you to our land.

But how, how in the world
do you know our language?

English fishermen.

Many miles north of this place.

English fishermen teach me speak.

And fur traders, too.

Can you please tell us why
this land has been cleared?

And who cleared it?

We have seen no one.

This land is land of Patuxent tribe.

They cleared land here.

But where are they?

All dead. Terrible plague.

All died here four years ago.

Everyone died?

Yes, young man.

Except for one man.

His name's Squanto.

He speak better English.

I bring him to you in two sunrises.

While the pilgrims can hardly
believe their eyes and ears,

Samoset tells them about
their surrounding wilderness.

Two days later, Samoset returns
with the Indian Squanto.

The pilgrims were not only
astounded by his good English,

but also by the story of his life.

I was kidnapped from my land here
by Englishmen many years ago.

They took me to Spain,

but some friendly monks helped
me to escape to England.

I served a wonderful man
who also had me learn English.

And that man finally gave me my
freedom to sail back here to my land.

Squanto, we need much help.

Many of our people have died.

Many of us feel we should return
to England this very month.

Is there any way you can help us?

Ah.

This land is the home of my people.

I am the last of our tribe.

I wish to remain here
if you so wish it too.

Linus, it's a miracle.

Let's hope so, Charlie Brown.

Throughout March and April,

Squanto teaches the pilgrims
the heritage of his fathers.

I am going to teach
you how to plant maize.

And we will start by
catching some fish.

But what do fish have
to do with planting corn?

This is the time of year
that the fish swim upstream.

Look, Linus, hundreds of fish.

Yes.

They are called alewives.

What about the corn planting?

First we will catch them.

And then I will show you.

Now you remember what I told you
about the best time to plant corn?

You said we should plant the corn

when the oak leaves are
the size of a mouse's ear.

It is time to plant.

Now we will dig the earth
into six foot squares.

And heap the earth into small hills.

Now put in two or three
kernels of corn in each hill.

And now we place the
fish around the seed.

We do?

We call this food for the plants.

It makes the soil better.

The next six months pass quickly.

There are no more deaths.

And seven more one-room
homes are completed.

Many months before,
Samoset and Squanto

had introduced the pilgrims to
the great Indian chief, Massasoit,

who ruled the Indians of the region.

Chief Massasoit and the pilgrims
have signed a treaty of friendship

and a mutual assistance.

A treaty that will last
for over half a century.

And finally, in September and October,

the most bountiful harvest the
pilgrim farmers had ever seen.

Chief Massasoit brings


to join the 50 pilgrims for
a feast of thanksgiving.

May we first have a moment of
silence for our beloved souls

who passed on during our
first months on these shores.

And now, whosoever wishes to
give thanks, please speak out.

We thank the Lord for
our bountiful harvest.

We give thanks for our new
homes and our good health.

Thank you for giving us
Samoset and Squanto.

And the great chief, Massasoit.

And we thank you, chief,
for our treaty of friendship.

And we wish you many
years of good health.

Linus, we have so much
to be thankful for.

And now it's time for
the celebration to begin.

There are still a few of your
customs that I do not understand.