Final answer:
The Pilgrims, who arrived in 1620 and settled at Plymouth, were among the earliest English settlers but were not the first. Jamestown, established in 1607, holds that title. The Pilgrims, Puritans seeking religious freedom, played a crucial role in New England's colonial history.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the first English people to arrive in what is now the United States were the Pilgrims is not entirely accurate. While the Pilgrims, who settled in the Massachusetts Bay area at Plymouth in 1620, are often recognized as among the earliest English settlers, they were not the first. The honor of the first permanent English settlement in present-day America goes to the settlers of Jamestown, Virginia, established in 1607. The Pilgrims did establish Plymouth as the first settlement in New England, and their settlement marked the beginning of permanent colonization in that region.
The Pilgrims were a group of English Puritans, known as Separatists, who sought to create communities free from the perceived corruption of the Church of England. The Mayflower Compact, which they signed upon their accidental arrival at Cape Cod, was a significant step towards self-governance. The difficulties they endured during the first winter, where nearly half of them perished, are well-documented. Assistance from Native Americans, like Squanto, in agricultural practices such as growing corn, was vital for their survival.
A larger group of Puritans, with similar motivations but different religious practices, settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s. The two colonies, Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay, despite their differences, cooperated and laid the foundations for future New England settlements.