What ship carried the Pilgrims to North America in 1620?

The Mayflower carried the Pilgrims to North America in 1620. The English merchant ship transported 102 passengers and roughly 25 to 30 crew members across the Atlantic, reaching Cape Cod in November after a voyage of about 66 days.

Many of the passengers were Separatists from the English religious community in Leiden, the Netherlands, who wanted to establish a settlement where they could worship independently. Other passengers were recruited workers, servants, and families. The group had originally planned to sail with a second ship, Speedwell, but repeated leaks forced that vessel to remain behind.

The passengers intended to settle near the Colony of Virginia, but strong seas pushed them back toward Cape Cod. Before going ashore, male passengers signed the Mayflower Compact, an agreement for self-government. The ship remained through the first winter and returned to England in April 1621. A common mix-up is confusing the Mayflower with the later ships Fortune and Anne, which brought additional colonists.