July 15th, 2011 | 
Author: For those who enjoy walking, USA tours to the northeast of the country offer plenty of historic walks in New England – an area with its own very special and unique heritage.
History
New England, as its name suggests, was the first part of the country to be permanently settled by the British. Groups of English Puritans, referred to as the Pilgrims, gradually took over the area from the indigenous peoples who inhabited it in 1607, following the granting of a Royal Charter for the land given by King James I. The Virginia companies of London and Plymouth set out to claim the land and build trade empires in the region. The wilder parts of today’s New England landscape will give visitors an idea of the potential that the early settlers might have seen in the land.
Putting down roots
The first colony, Jamestown, was established by the Virginia Company of London in 1607. Captain John Smith was perhaps the first foreign visitor to explore the area, both on horseback and walking. USA history shows that he travelled the entire region extensively before eventually christening it New England.
The colony of Jamestown met with mixed success, with disease and starvation amongst the harshest challenges faced by the settlers. In 1620 the Virginia Company of Plymouth established the Plymouth colony, in the area surveyed and named New Plymouth by Captain John Smith. The Plymouth Colony was more successful in the early years than Jamestown, and is famous as being the location where a treaty was established with Chief Massasoit, the leader of the Pokanoket people, which ensured the safety of the settlers.
The area was also the home of the origins of Thanksgiving – a festival celebrated every year by people in America. If, on your holiday, you need some rest from your strenuous walking, USA tradition dictates that if you are there on the 4th Thursday of November, you may well be lucky enough to be invited to share some turkey with celebrating locals!
New England today
From its colonial beginnings, New England has grown to be one of the most important regions of the modern United States. The famous universities of Harvard, Yale, Brown and Dartmouth College are all based in the area, as well as the world famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Because of the influence of its seats of learning and long history, the area plays a significant role in the culture of the USA. Walking through the stunning countryside of this region will be a highlight of any American holiday.
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