Final answer:
The Mayflower carried 102 passengers in 1620 to form the Plymouth Colony in New England. The Mayflower Compact signed by them laid a political and religious foundation for the colony. Their survival story and Thanksgiving have become integral to the American national narrative.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Mayflower transported 102 passengers from Plymouth, England, to establish the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts, New England, in 1620. This seminal voyage included Puritan Separatists, also known as Pilgrims, who sought to escape religious persecution by the Church of England. Instruments like the Mayflower Compact were created to focus on their desire to build a society for "the glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country," which had both religious and political implications.
The first winter proved to be harrowing for the colonists. The popular belief that they were helped by natives is countered by primary sources such as William Bradford's accounts of the settlers stealing provisions from native populations. The natives themselves were decimated by European diseases, which the colonists interpreted as divine providence making the land available for their settlement.
Later, the famed Thanksgiving celebration would originate from these Pilgrims after their first successful harvest. However, the historical relationship between the settlers and the indigenous peoples was marked by conflict and hardship. Nonetheless, the story of the Plymouth colonists has become an integral part of the American founding narrative, with some 10 million people today claiming descent from the Mayflower passengers, identifying themselves as uniquely American.