Changes

The colonists dropped anchor in Plymouth Harbor on December 17 and spent three days surveying for a settlement site.  They rejected several sites in favor of the site of an abandoned Native-American settlement named Patuxet. The location was chosen largely for its defensive position; the settlement would be centered on two hills: Cole's Hill, where the village would be built, and Fort Hill, where a defensive cannon would be stationed.  Also important in choosing the site, the prior Indian villagers had cleared much of the land, making agriculture relatively easy.  Although there are no contemporary accounts to verify the legend, [[Plymouth Rock]] is often hailed as the point where the colonists first set foot on their new homeland.<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 78-80</ref>

The colonists dropped anchor in Plymouth Harbor on December 17 and spent three days surveying for a settlement site.  They rejected several sites in favor of the site of an abandoned Native-American settlement named Patuxet. The location was chosen largely for its defensive position; the settlement would be centered on two hills: Cole's Hill, where the village would be built, and Fort Hill, where a defensive cannon would be stationed.  Also important in choosing the site, the prior Indian villagers had cleared much of the land, making agriculture relatively easy.  Although there are no contemporary accounts to verify the legend, [[Plymouth Rock]] is often hailed as the point where the colonists first set foot on their new homeland.<ref>Philbrick (2006), pp 78-80</ref>

Patuxet had been abandoned, it is believed, because of a series of plagues that ravaged several villages in the area from 1616-1618.<ref>[https://www.plimoth.org/sites/default/files/media/pdf/wampanoag_patuxet_ancestors.pdf Patuxet Ancestors]</ref>

It is believed that the reason that the village of Patuxet had been abandoned by its prior inhabitants is because of a series of plagues that ravaged several villages in the area from 1616-1618.<ref>[https://www.plimoth.org/sites/default/files/media/pdf/wampanoag_patuxet_ancestors.pdf Patuxet Ancestors]</ref>

==First winter==

==First winter==