‘The time of most distress’: Plymouth plantation's demographic crisis

Abstract

Despite ill omens and unfavorable contractual terms, English Separatists from Leiden and people recruited by investors in London established a settlement at Plymouth in the winter of 1620/21. Sickness and disease killed half the colonists, devastating families and reshaping the population in terms of gender balance, age, and social status. Between 1621 and 1623 the arrival of additional settlers and the constant intrusion of transients caused food shortages, instability, and clashes with local Native Americans. Disputes involving civil and religious leadership led to significant outmigration. Improved social relations after 1625 masked problems that stemmed from the first winter's deadly toll and the sporadic arrival of impoverished Separatists from Leiden.