When the Pilgrims embarked on their voyage from Europe in 1620 aboard the Mayflower, their journey to America was fueled by a complex web of motivations. While the popular narrative often emphasizes the pursuit of religious freedom, the reality is far more nuanced. Religious liberty, although a significant factor, was not the sole or even the most pressing concern driving these early settlers to the New World.
It’s a common misconception that the Pilgrims fled England to escape religious persecution and establish religious freedom in America. However, the Pilgrims, who were Separatists seeking to break away from the Church of England, had already found religious refuge in the Netherlands more than a decade prior to their transatlantic voyage. In 1608, they migrated to Leiden, a city in the Dutch Republic, where they enjoyed considerable religious tolerance and the liberty to worship as they pleased. Pilgrim Edward Winslow himself acknowledged their peaceful existence in Leiden, noting “much peace and liberty.”
According to historian Simon Targett, co-author of New World, Inc.: The Making of America by England’s Merchant Adventurers, “The Pilgrims actually had no reason to leave the Dutch Republic in order to go to America to seek religious toleration—because they already had it.” If religious freedom was already a reality in the Netherlands, then what other factors prompted the Pilgrims to undertake the perilous journey to America? The answer lies in a combination of economic pressures and a desire to preserve their cultural and English identity, intertwined with their religious aspirations.
Economic Hardship and Disillusionment in the Dutch Republic
Like countless migrants who would follow in their footsteps to America, the Pilgrims were, in essence, economic migrants. After residing and working in Leiden for over a decade, primarily in the textile industry, they found themselves in a precarious economic situation. Despite their religious freedom, material prosperity remained elusive. These former farmers faced poverty, toiling for meager wages in textile-related crafts such as weaving, spinning, and cloth making. This economic hardship acted as a significant deterrent, making it challenging to attract fellow Separatists from England to join them in Leiden, even with the promise of religious liberty. Pilgrim leader William Bradford recounted the sentiment of some potential migrants, noting that they “preferred and chose the prisons in England rather than this liberty in Holland with these afflictions.”
The Pilgrims’ economic prospects further deteriorated with the decline of the wool market. Adding to their woes, the outbreak of the Thirty Years’ War in Europe and the looming end of a twelve-year truce between Spain and the Dutch Republic cast shadows over the stability of their Dutch haven. As their community in Leiden stagnated, anxieties grew, particularly concerning the influence of the secular Dutch society on their children. They worried that the very tolerance that allowed their religious practices was also eroding the moral and cultural fabric of their families, leading their children away from their church and English heritage. Bradford lamented that “many of their children” were succumbing to Leiden’s “manifold temptations” and being “drawn away by evil examples into extravagant and dangerous courses.”
“The Pilgrims wanted their children to be English citizens, not Dutch citizens,” explains Targett. However, returning to England was not a viable option due to the religious restrictions they had initially sought to escape. Therefore, their gaze turned westward, across the Atlantic, to America. English merchants had been investing in colonial settlements for decades, and America presented a potential solution: a place where they could not only practice their religion freely but also attain greater economic stability and safeguard their English identity. Beyond these factors, the Pilgrims also harbored a sense of mission, believing that the New World offered an opportunity to spread Christianity to Native Americans. As Bradford articulated, they aimed at “the propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world.”
Joining a Commercial Venture for a New Future
England’s initial forays into America were driven by profit-seeking corporations, exemplified by ventures like the Virginia Company’s establishment of Jamestown. Even for investors primarily motivated by financial returns rather than religious zeal, the Pilgrims appeared to be ideal candidates to initiate a New World colony. They were known for their strong community bonds, industriousness, and resilience in the face of hardship.
After securing a patent from the Virginia Company to establish a settlement within its jurisdiction, a group of London businessmen, known as the Merchant Adventurers, stepped in to finance the Pilgrim enterprise. These investors, numbering around 70, provided the necessary capital by purchasing shares in a joint-stock company. Their investment covered the costs of the Mayflower, its crew, and essential supplies for the colonists’ first year.
The Merchant Adventurers were not philanthropists; they anticipated a return on their investment. The agreement stipulated that the Pilgrims would work for the company for the first seven years in America. Each colonist over the age of sixteen who emigrated and worked the land would receive one share, entitling them to a portion of future profits after the seven-year contract concluded.
To make the voyage financially feasible, the Pilgrims had to accommodate fellow economic migrants aboard the Mayflower. These individuals, driven by the pursuit of economic betterment but not necessarily sharing the Pilgrims’ Separatist religious beliefs, were termed “strangers” by the Pilgrims. These “strangers” constituted roughly half of the Mayflower’s passengers. When the Mayflower landed in Massachusetts in November 1620, significantly north of its intended destination within the Virginia Company’s territory, the “strangers” argued that they were no longer bound by the Virginia Company’s charter. In response, Pilgrim leaders drafted the Mayflower Compact, a foundational document for self-governance, designed to establish order and prevent potential discord within the nascent colony.
The Plymouth Colony’s Economic Struggles and Survival
As a business endeavor, the Plymouth Colony’s beginnings were fraught with challenges, mirroring the rocky terrain of New England itself. The colony teetered on the brink of collapse during its first brutal winter in America. The Mayflower’s return voyage to England was devoid of valuable commodities, a stark indication of the colony’s initial struggles. This set a pattern for the early years.
“The early investors were dissatisfied with what the Pilgrims sent home,” notes Targett. The expected exports of fur, timber, and fish were often lost due to shipwrecks or pirate attacks, leaving the investors without the anticipated returns.
The Plymouth Colony eventually found its economic footing through the beaver trade. Beaver pelts were highly sought after in England for crafting fashionable felt hats and other luxury accessories. Historian James Truslow Adams aptly described the colony’s dual reliance: “The Bible and the beaver were the two mainstays of the young colony. The former saved its morale, and the latter paid its bills, and the rodent’s share was a large one.”
However, the arrival of the Puritans and the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s intensified competition for beaver pelts, impacting the Pilgrims’ profitability. It wasn’t until 1648 that the Pilgrims managed to settle their debts. Ultimately, Plymouth Colony faced a fate common to many struggling enterprises. It was absorbed by a larger, more prosperous entity when it merged with other colonies to form the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1691.
In conclusion, the Pilgrims’ journey to America was not solely driven by the quest for religious freedom, although that was undoubtedly a significant element. Their motivations were a complex interplay of factors, including economic necessity, concerns about preserving their English cultural identity, and the desire to propagate their religious beliefs. While they sought religious liberty, they were also pragmatic individuals seeking economic opportunity and a stable future for themselves and their children in the New World.
