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when did the mayflower land

The Mayflower first reached land in North America on November 21, 1620 (Gregorian calendar), when it dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The ship later moved across the bay and the settlers went ashore to establish Plymouth in late December 1620, with many U.S. sources commemorating December 18, 1620, as the date of the Plymouth landing.

Quick Scoop

Short answer

  • The Mayflower landed (anchored off Cape Cod) on November 21, 1620.
  • The settlers went ashore to found Plymouth Colony in December 1620, often marked as December 18, 1620, in modern retellings.

Why you sometimes see different dates

You’ll see both November 11 and November 21 given as the answer to “when did the Mayflower land,” and both trace back to the same moment. The confusion comes from a calendar switch:

  • In 1620, the English still used the Julian calendar.
  • The date William Bradford recorded for dropping anchor at Cape Cod was November 11, 1620 (old style).
  • Converted into today’s Gregorian calendar, that same day is November 21, 1620 (new style).

So if someone quotes November 11, they’re using the original 17th‑century date; if they quote November 21, they’re using the adjusted modern calendar date.

“Landing” at Cape Cod vs. Plymouth

People also mean slightly different things by “landed”:

  • First landfall (Cape Cod):
    • After a 66‑day Atlantic voyage, the Mayflower sighted Cape Cod and dropped anchor off what is now Provincetown, Massachusetts, on November 21, 1620 (new style).
  • Settling at Plymouth:
    • The ship then explored the area and eventually crossed the bay to what became Plymouth.
    • Many modern historical pieces list December 18, 1620, as the date of the Mayflower’s “historic landing at Plymouth.”

In everyday conversation, “when did the Mayflower land?” usually points to the November 21, 1620 Cape Cod arrival, but commemorations of Plymouth itself often focus on the mid‑December date.

Mini timeline (1620)

  • Early September: Mayflower leaves Plymouth, England, for America.
  • 66 days at sea, through autumn storms.
  • November 21, 1620 (new style): Anchors off Cape Cod (first American landfall).
  • December 1620: Moves to and begins settling at Plymouth; some sources highlight December 18, 1620, as the key Plymouth landing date.

TL;DR

When people ask “when did the Mayflower land,” the best concise answer is: November 21, 1620 (modern calendar), when the ship reached Cape Cod; the Plymouth settlement landing followed in December 1620.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.