The United States was built on the foundation laid by the Pilgrims-Christian faith, recognition of the value of virtue and order to society, and freedom balanced between community and individualism. The Pilgrims also demonstrated entrepreneurship and a strong work ethic, recognized the need for effective armed forces, and created our most cherished national holiday, Thanksgiving. William Bradford, the governor and chronicler of the Plymouth colony in the seventeenth century, was the first great American political figure and the first American historian of significance. He was the dominant person in Plymouth until his death in 1657. The history of Plymouth, from its early exploration through 1691, is encompassed within these pages and William Bradford is considered in conjunction with Plymouth during his almost forty years of service there. The book opens with the birth of William Bradford in Yorkshire, England in 1590, follows him to the New World in 1620, and concludes in 1691 when Plymouth became part of the Massachusetts Bay colony. Topics include: British colonization, religion, government, education, the economy, Indians, the Pequot War, the New England Confederation and much more… A bibliography and a fullname plus subject augment this work. Dr. Pafford is a professor of History and Philosophy, and has written numerous articles on history, politics and foreign policy for a variety of publications.