Today in History: Plymouth Colony

The Book of the General Laws of the Inhabitants of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth

Today in History–October 4–the Library of Congress features Plymouth Colony. On October 4, 1636, the General Court of Plymouth Colony instituted a legal code that guaranteed citizens a trial by jury and laws made with the consent of freemen. Discover more by reviewing the Today in History section, then click the links below to access stories and primary sources.

The Murder of Penowanyanquis and the Trial of Arthur Peach, Plymouth, 1638

Plymouth Colony images

The Book of the General Laws of the Inhabitants of the Jurisdiction of New-Plimouth 1685 (curator note)

Books and other texts related to Plymouth Colony

Plymouth 400th Commemoration Commission Act

Plymouth 400th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act

The Treaty That Saved Plymouth Colony In Custodia Legis March 22, 2017

A Civil Body Politic: The Mayflower Compact and 17th-Century Corporations In Custodia Legis November 24, 2021

Teaching resources

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