How Many Ships Did The Pilgrims Sail On?

The Mayflower was an English sailing ship that transported a group of English families, known as the Pilgrims, from England to the New World in 1620. After 10 weeks at sea, the ship reached what is today the United States, dropping anchor near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on November 21. The Pilgrims, many of them seeking religious freedom in the New World, set sail from England on the Mayflower in September 1620.

The Mayflower was a type of sailing ship known as a carrack, carrying goods such as wine. Its most famous cargo was the group of Pilgrims, who were mostly still living in Leiden, Netherlands. They hired a ship called the Speedwell to take them from Delfshaven, the Netherlands, to Plymouth.

Sailing for more than two months across 3,000 miles of open ocean, the 102 passengers of the Mayflower—including three pregnant women and more than a dozen children—were nearly 400 years ago. They were on two ships: the iconic Mayflower and the Speedwell. The Mayflower was a sizable cargo ship, around 100 feet in length, and had served many years in the wine trade. With the crowding of 102 passengers plus crew, the Pilgrims initially set sail in both ships. However, Speedwell was found to be unseaworthy, and both ships returned to England. The Pilgrims later left the Mayflower for their voyage to America.