Changes

The English in Plymouth Colony fit broadly into three categories.  The Pilgrims were a group of religious separatists.  Like the [[Puritans]] that would later found Massachusetts Bay Colony to the north, they were a Protestant group that closely followed the teachings of [[John Calvin]].  However, unlike the Puritans, who wished to reform the Anglican church from within, the Pilgrims saw it as a morally defunct organization, and sought to remove themselves from it.  

The English in Plymouth Colony fit broadly into three categories.  The Pilgrims were a group of religious separatists.  Like the [[Puritans]] that would later found Massachusetts Bay Colony to the north, they were a Protestant group that closely followed the teachings of [[John Calvin]].  However, unlike the Puritans, who wished to reform the Anglican church from within, the Pilgrims saw it as a morally defunct organization, and sought to remove themselves from it.  

The name "Pilgrims" was actually not used by the Sepratists themselves.  Though William Bradford used the term "pilgrims" to describe the group, he was using the term generically, to define the group as travelers on a religious mission.  The term used by the people we now call the Pilgrims to define themselves was the "Saints".<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 14</ref>

The name "Pilgrims" was actually not used by the Separatists themselves.  Though William Bradford used the term "pilgrims" to describe the group, he was using the term generically, to define the group as travelers on a religious mission.  The term used by the people we now call the Pilgrims to define themselves was the "Saints".<ref>Deetz and Deetz (2000), pp 14</ref>

Besides the Pilgrims, or "Saints", the rest of the ''Mayflower'' settlers were known as the "Strangers".  This group included the non-Pilgrim settlers placed on the ''Mayflower'' by the Merchant Adventurers, as well as later settlers who would come for a host of reasons throughout the history of the colony, and who did not necessarily adhere to the Pilgrim religious ideal.</ref>.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 21-23</ref>  A third group, known as the "Particulars", consisted of a group of later settlers that paid their own "particular" way to America, and thus were not part of the collective responsibility to pay the colony's debts.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 6</ref>  The presence of the Strangers and the Particulars was a considerable annoyance to the Pilgrims, and would continue to be for many years to come.  As early as 1623, a conflict between the two groups broke out over the celebration of Christmas, a day the Pilgrims attached no particular significance.  As well, when a group of Strangers arrived to found the nearby settlement of Wessagusset, the Pilgrims were highly strained, both emotionally and in terms of resources, by the perceived lack of discipline that they displayed.  They looked at the eventual failure of the Wessagusset settlement as Divine Providence against a sinful people.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 128, 151-154</ref>

Besides the Pilgrims, or "Saints", the rest of the ''Mayflower'' settlers were known as the "Strangers".  This group included the non-Pilgrim settlers placed on the ''Mayflower'' by the Merchant Adventurers, as well as later settlers who would come for a host of reasons throughout the history of the colony, and who did not necessarily adhere to the Pilgrim religious ideal.</ref>.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 21-23</ref>  A third group, known as the "Particulars", consisted of a group of later settlers that paid their own "particular" way to America, and thus were not part of the collective responsibility to pay the colony's debts.<ref>Demos (1970), pp 6</ref>  The presence of the Strangers and the Particulars was a considerable annoyance to the Pilgrims, and would continue to be for many years to come.  As early as 1623, a conflict between the two groups broke out over the celebration of Christmas, a day the Pilgrims attached no particular significance.  As well, when a group of Strangers arrived to found the nearby settlement of Wessagusset, the Pilgrims were highly strained, both emotionally and in terms of resources, by the perceived lack of discipline that they displayed.  They looked at the eventual failure of the Wessagusset settlement as Divine Providence against a sinful people.<ref>Philbrick (2006) pp 128, 151-154</ref>