Plymouth Colony had a trying first year. After, several failed attempts to leave Europe, the group of religious separatists finally departed for the New World in 1620. Granted a charter to settle within the Virginia Colony, the group sailed west. After a relatively successful voyage with only one death, the colonists came ashore accidentally off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 
Believing they couldn't safely make it to Virginia the group decided to search the coast for a suitable site for their new colony. The situation began to worsen as flu and pneumonia began to affect the colonists forced to remain on the Mayflower as a scouting party searched for land and potential Indian hostiles. As the situation became desperate for all the colonists because of disease and lack of adequate food stuffs, the search party came upon a fortuitous discovery, a Indian stash of corn buried in the sand. This blessing of a find allowed the colonists, many of whom remained on the small ship for the winter, to sustain themselves throughout the winter. During the first winter in the newly established Plymouth Colony half the colonists died. The colonists who survived were resolute and determined to make a new life for themselves in the colony. 
Though determined, the colonists would not have survived if it were not for the assistance of the local Wapanoag Indians, and the famous Squanto. Squanto helped the colonists with their 
corn harvests and advised on fertilizing and planting techniques. After the colonists became somewhat settled in their new environment, they were in danger of being unable to maintain a permanent settlement. If it was not for John Winthrop and the "Great Migration" of Puritans to the area to form the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 the tiny Plymouth Colony and its colonists may not have survived.
Though determined, the colonists would not have survived if it were not for the assistance of the local Wapanoag Indians, and the famous Squanto. Squanto helped the colonists with their 
corn harvests and advised on fertilizing and planting techniques. After the colonists became somewhat settled in their new environment, they were in danger of being unable to maintain a permanent settlement. If it was not for John Winthrop and the "Great Migration" of Puritans to the area to form the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 the tiny Plymouth Colony and its colonists may not have survived.References
Deetz, James, and Patricia E. S. Deetz. 2000. The times of their lives : Life, love, and death in plymouth colony. New York: W.H. Freeman.
Santella, Andrew, and Inc NetLibrary. 2001. The plymouth colony [electronic resource]. Minneapolis, Minn.: Compass Point Books.
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