The English Pilgrims commonly associated with Thanksgiving arrived in North America in November 1620, landing at Cape Cod and soon after establishing Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts.

Key dates

  • The ship Mayflower reached the New England coast and sighted Cape Cod in early to mid-November 1620 after about a 66‑day Atlantic crossing.
  • The passengers anchored in Provincetown Harbor on Cape Cod around November 11 (old style calendar), 1620, before later moving across the bay.
  • The Pilgrims chose Plymouth as their settlement site in December 1620, when the Mayflower anchored in Plymouth Harbor and the group began building what became Plymouth Colony.

Quick context

  • These Pilgrims were English Separatists seeking religious freedom who had lived in the Netherlands before deciding to sail to North America.
  • They originally aimed for territory near the Hudson River (then part of the Virginia Company’s domain) but ended up in New England because of dangerous shoals and difficult sailing conditions around Cape Cod.

Simple takeaway

  • If you just need a short answer to “when did the Pilgrims come to America,” the usual school-textbook date is November 1620 , with landfall on Cape Cod and settlement at Plymouth shortly afterward.