William Bradford

Picture of William Bradford

Picture of William Bradford at center, kneeling in the background

This article on  the biography and life of William Bradford provides facts and information about:

  • Who was William Bradford?
  • What was his involvement in the early colonization of America?
  • The Mayflower and the Pilgrim Fathers
  • Life and Biography of William Bradford
  • Interesting facts and fast information about William Bradford
  • Educational resource for teachers and kids about the Plymouth Settlement
Famous Colonists Religious Beliefs & Religions
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History of the first 13 Colonies and the lives of famous Colonial people

The colonization of America and interesting facts about the life of William Bradford one of the Pilgrim Fathers

Short Biography about William Bradford
This article contains a short biography and fast facts and information about the early American colonist, William Bradford. Who was William Bradford and why was he famous? William Bradford was famous as a leader of the Plymouth Settlement

Facts about William Bradford
The following facts about William Bradford provide interesting facts and an overview and description of the life and times and his involvement in the early colonization of America and the Plymouth Settlement.

Facts about William Bradford

William Bradford Fact 1 William Bradford was famous as one of the Pilgrim Fathers and a leader of the Plymouth Settlement who travelled on the Mayflower ship to America. William Bradford was the elected Governor of the Plymouth Settlement for 30 years.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 2 When was William Bradford born? He was born in 1552
 
 
William Bradford Fact 3 Where was William Bradford born? He was born in Austerfield, Yorkshire, England
 
 
William Bradford Fact 4 He came from a wealthy farming family and was well educated
 
 
William Bradford Fact 5 Both his parents died when he was young and he had an unsettled childhood moving from one relative to another
 
 
William Bradford Fact 6 William Bradford was 12 years old when he was highly influenced by the preaching of an enthusiastic Puritan minister called Richard Clyfton.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 7 William Bradford met many other Puritans (Separatists) who believed in a pure Christian church, with no vestige of the Catholic religion.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 8 One of the Separatists was an older man, a church elder, called William Brewster who befriended William.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 9 William Brewster lived at Scrooby Manor, which was only 4 miles away from Austerfield.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 10 In 1602 Scrooby Manor became a meeting place for the dissenting Puritans.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 11 The congregation who met at Scrooby Manor were persecuted by Tobias Matthew, Archbishop of York and some were imprisoned for their religious beliefs
 
 
William Bradford Fact 12 The Scrooby separatists decide to leave England and moved to Holland to escape religious prosecution.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 13 In 1613, he married Dorothy May, the daughter of a well-off English couple living in Amsterdam and the couple had a son called John in 1617
 
 
William Bradford Fact 14 The congregation, having read the book by American colonist John Smith , made the decision to leave Europe and set their sights on New England
 
 
William Bradford Fact 15 William Bradford was highly enthusiastic about moving to the New World. By 1619, 2 ships called the Mayflower and Speedwell, were leased to take the Scrooby separatists to North America
 
 
William Bradford Fact 16 Many of the Scrooby Puritans had decided to leave some of their families behind in Holland until homes had been prepared in the new colony. The Bradfords were no exception, and they left their 3 year old son with his grandparents.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 17 September 6, 1620: The Mayflower left Plymouth bound for North America. There were 102 passengers on board, living in cold, and dark conditions
 
 
William Bradford Fact 18 The voyage on the crowded Mayflower would take 66 days.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 19 The passengers were not all Puritans and the voyagers fell into 2 groups referred to as the "Strangers" and the "Saints".
 
 
William Bradford Fact 20 The "Saints" and the "Strangers" realised that if they didn't work as a group, they could all die in the wilderness so they came to an agreement on how they would live in the new colony - the document was signed by the men and was called the Mayflower Compact.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 21 The signers of the Mayflower Compact served as the initial government of the colony by electing a governor, enacting laws and admitting others to membership.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 22 The notion, or idea, of self-government had been established in the American colonies by the signing of the Mayflower Compact.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 23 In November of 1620 the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Bay.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 24 One of the leading Puritans, John Carver, was elected the first governor of the Plymouth Settlement
 
 
William Bradford Fact 25 The conditions were terrible and the colonists had to find a way to survive. Some of the men including William Bradford volunteered to explore the surrounding areas - an extremely dangerous task
 
 
William Bradford Fact 26 The first expedition was made on foot and William Bradford was injured when he was caught in a deer trap that had been laid by Native Indians.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 27 The next two expeditions were made on the Mayflower and once again William Bradford volunteered.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 28 December 6, 1620: The explorers located present day Plymouth Bay and found some land that had been previously cleared by Native Indians.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 29 When William Bradford returned to tell his wife the news he discovered that she had died whist he was on the expedition - some say she fell overboard, others that she committed suicide.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 30 December 20, 1620: The colonists moved to the site of the settlement and started to build the first house on Christmas Day.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 31 A terrible epidemic hit many of the colonists including William Bradford. He was helped to recover by the man who would become his great friend - Myles Standish. 45 of the 102 Pilgrims died that first winter and were buried on Cole's Hill
 
 
William Bradford Fact 32 March 16, 1621: The first formal contact, led by their Governor John Carver,  with the Native American Indians. The colonists, pledged peace with Wampanoag Native American Indians led by Chief Massasoit.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 33 April 1621: Governor John Carver collapses and dies. 30 year old William Bradford is elected Governor of the Plymouth Settlement
 
 
William Bradford Fact 34 July 1621: The Native American Indians taught the colonists farming techniques and helped them to survive in the colony.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 35 November 1621: The first Thanksgiving was a sad and solemn affair. Only 53 pilgrims were alive to give thanks to God. Only four adult women had survived to celebrate the First Thanksgiving
 
 
William Bradford Fact 36 Governor John Carver retained his elected role as Governor for nearly 30 years. He was helped in the position by other elected colonists.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 37 By 1623 there were 32 houses and 180 residents at the Plymouth Settlement
 
 
William Bradford Fact 38 In 1630 the Massachusetts Colony was established
 
 
William Bradford Fact 39 William Bradford was admired by Governor John Winthrop of the Massachusetts Colony, with whom he frequently met to discuss common problems.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 40 William Bradford suffered from a long illness during the winter of 1656-1657, and died one day following his prediction that he would soon expire
 
 
William Bradford Fact 41 William Bradford (1590-1657), one of the Pilgrim Fathers, did not have his extraordinary history, "Of Plymouth Plantation, " published until 1856.
 
 
William Bradford Fact 42 1691: The Plymouth Settlement was de-established 1691
 
 

Facts about William Bradford
of the Plymouth Settlement

Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor

The Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor

William Bradford
The life and biography of William Bradford is presented in a short, easy fact file format that is highly suitable for kids. The facts about  are a fast and accurate way to gain a good understanding of the life of this famous man who played a major role in the early colonization of America. The facts include the major events in the life of William Bradford together with important dates and details of the colony.

The William Bradford

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