THE NATIONAL MONUMENT TO THE FOREFATHERS

Tucked away in a quiet seaside neighborhood in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is the largest freestanding solid-granite monument in the nation. Standing 81-feet tall, this majestic structure was built in 1889 to honor the first Pilgrims who sailed to America and established  self-government at Plymouth Colony. Through the powerful imagery of its main statues, lower figures, and carved marble panels—the Forefathers Monument tells the enduring story of the people and principles that gave birth to a nation. Through an exploration of the granite figures of Faith, Morality, Law, Education and Liberty, discover how the Pilgrim legacy influenced the founding of America.

More than a guide to this national treasure, the Forefathers Monument Guidebook presents the Pilgrim story in a fresh, contemporary way for an entirely new generation. Who were the Pilgrims? What provoked them to leave their homes in England and live as outsiders and exiles in Holland? After living in Leiden peacefully for more than a decade, what caused them to risk their lives sailing across the Atlantic to start over again in America? After being thrown together with outsiders onboard the Mayflower, how were they able to maintain peace and establish civil order at Plymouth Colony? 

Through an examination of the historical Pilgrim legacy, learn the five necessary elements for self-government—and why each is vital to preserve our God-given freedoms. Meet the people behind familiar names such as Bradford, Squanto, Brewster, and Massasoit—along with the brave women who became essential for the colony's survival. Through a colorful tour of Plymouth's waterfront district, trace the steps of the early Pilgrims through historic sites such as Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower, Burial Hill, Leyden Street, and Plimoth Plantation. Over 400 years after the Mayflower first veered off course and landed on the shores of Cape Cod, experience the unlikely events that led the Pilgrims to establish Plymouth Colony—and forever changed the course of human history.