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-Date, September 6, 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 cocks and hens and pets,

and a dog.

Some of the voyagers are people whom 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 realized 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.

WOODSTOCK CHIRPS

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 onboard get violently seasick.

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

After the first few weeks of favorable winds,

the North Atlantic Ocean finally turns its full fury on the tiny Mayflower.

SPLASHING

WOODSTOCK YELPING

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.

WIND ROARING

-The storms 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.

SCREAMING

Man overboard! Hurry! Hurry!

-We got a man overboard!

-Over here!

What was all the yelling about on deck?

Theyjust 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 amidships.

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 ifwe 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 jackscrew 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 9, 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 seemed 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 gonna 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.

SNOOPY YELPS

CHITTERING

CHIRPING

Land,ho!

Land,ho!

SAILORS CHEERING

-We made it. We made it. -Land,ho!

ALL CHEERING

CELEBRATING

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.

-The Mayflower has arrived.

The date, November 9, 1620.

She first sights land 65 days and 2, 750 miles

from Plymouth, Devon.

The average speed, two miles per hour.

Two days later on November 11 at 6:30 in the morning

they made 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-weary 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 onshore for the first time in two months.

Juniper trees supply kindling

-to fuel fires aboard ship. -COUGHING

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

Fish and fowl provide desperately needed food.

Even great whales leaping all around the ship

seemed 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 for a settlement.

DISTANT HOWLING

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.

CRYING

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.

DOG BARKING

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

Let's walk slowly toward them. Smile. Show them we don't wanna harm them.

-Oh, no. They're running away.

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

-The explorers tried to find the Indians,

going at least ten miles inland.

But the Indians have vanished.

PILGRIMS SNORING

OWL HOOTING

By the end of the fourth week

the explorers are near exhaustion.

They planned to return to the Mayflower the next day.

A few days later, the Mayflower set 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 15.

They lay anchor in Plymouth on November 16.

On land, they discover a miracle.

Much land has been cleared, probably by some Indians.

Though again, there are no Indians in sight.

CHEERING

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.

Miraculous/y, 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 checkerberries.

Peppermint Patty and Marcie, 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 Myles 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 ifwe 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.

CROWS CAWING

On the other hand, maybe we do have enough.

CAWING CONTINUES

WOLF HOWLING

I'm afraid of the wolves, sir.

Forget the wolves, Marcie.

I'm afraid of the Indians, sir.

-Forget the Indians, Marcie. -THUNDER CRASHES

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

I'm afraid of the storm, sir.

Forget the storms, Marcie.

What makes you so brave, sir?

People with big noses are naturally brave.

EXCLAIMS Sir, there's a snake.

SHOUTS

PANTING

We can stop running now, sir.

Why is that?

I made it up, sir.

There really wasn't a snake.

Marcie!

-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.

Marcie, you are weird.

STRAINING

GRUNTING

CHITTERING

GRUNTING

SPLASHES

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?

SIGHS 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.

KNOCKING ON DOOR

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 Myles 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, Englishmen.

My name's Samoset.

My people welcome you to our land.

SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY

-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 Patuxet tribe.

They cleared land here.

But where are they?

All dead. Terrible plague.

All died here four year ago.

Everyone died?

Yes, young man. Except for one man.

His name 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.

Iwas 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.

| 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.

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.

CHUCKLES 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'll 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 of 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 90 of his Indian tribe

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.

PLAYING CHEERFULLY

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

English-SDH