A pilgrim is someone who travels to a sacred or meaningful place for religious or spiritual reasons. The journey itself is called a pilgrimage. For centuries, pilgrims have walked hundreds of miles to visit holy sites: Muslims travel to Mecca, Christians visit Jerusalem, and Buddhists journey to places where the Buddha taught. These aren't ordinary trips or vacations. Pilgrims often face hardship along the way: long walks, uncomfortable conditions, and time away from home. The difficulty is part of the point, showing devotion and commitment to their faith.

The word also refers specifically to the group of English settlers who founded Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1620. These Pilgrims (with a capital P) left England seeking religious freedom. They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on a ship called the Mayflower, enduring a dangerous two-month voyage. About half of them died during their first brutal winter in America. The survivors made an alliance with the Wampanoag people, who helped them learn to grow corn and fish in their new home. Many people in the United States remember the Pilgrims each Thanksgiving, which is often connected to a harvest feast they shared with the Wampanoag in 1621.

Whether traveling to a holy city or crossing an ocean for a new life, pilgrims share something important: they're willing to face real difficulty and danger for something they believe in deeply.