The Mayflower was the ship that took the Pilgrims from Plymouth, England to America - where they eventually founded the colony of Plymouth in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. When you visit the town of Plymouth with your Massachusetts car rental, you can see a replica of this great ship and even visit the museum that is found there today.

Come sail away

When visiting the museum with your Massachusetts car rental, you will learn about the history of the ship and its people. The ship left Plymouth on September 6, 1620. The trip was a long and hard one. There was disease onboard and a sever winter storm sent the ship off course, which was originally destined for the Hudson River and the settlement of Jamestown. On March 21, 1621, surviving passengers went onshore, and on April 5, the vessel returned to England.

In fact, the journey of the Mayflower was sabotaged from the start. Originally, there were to be two ships leaving England. But the crew of the second ship caused problems to get out of the long contract that was necessary to cross the Atlantic and back. With the people who were supposed to depart on two ships now on one, there was very limited room for the families on board.

The ship was headed for North Virginia, but storms changed plans and set the ship off course. As a result of these delays, the pilgrims did not arrive in the area until winter, which was particularly harsh. Since the settlers were not able to reach their intended destination, they did not have permission to establish a colony where they actually ended up. In order to establish a new order, they signed the Mayflower Compact at the tip of Cape Cod. Over the winter, there was a serious outbreak of disease on the ship, and only 53 of the original 102 passengers on board survived.

Build your own destiny

The Mayflower was used mainly as a cargo ship during its lifespan, often trading wine with England and its European trading partners. Between 1609 and 1622 it was mastered by Christopher Jones. After his death, the ship was returned to England and dismantled for scrap lumber. It has been said that the Mayflower Barn in Buckinghamshire England was made from these scraps.

Of course, when you visit today with your Massachusetts car rental you will not see the original Mayflower. Instead you will find a replica, the Mayflower II. Careful research went into the project, which was completed in 1956. Today it is home to the Plymouth Plantation Museum, which you can visit with your Massachusetts car rental.

The Mayflower has a very interesting history that includes religion, disease, adventure, and exploration. What was supposed to be a simple journey across the Atlantic turned into a near-disaster and then triumph for the people on board. Visiting the Mayflower II with your Massachusetts car rental will bring you back in time to this journey,