English immigrants travelled to America by ship. The most common type of ship was the sailing ship, which relied on the wind to move through the water. Sailing ships were typically made of wood and had three or four masts, each of which carried sails. The sails were made of canvas or cotton and were used to catch the wind and propel the ship forward. Sailing ships could carry a large amount of cargo and passengers, but they were also slow and could be dangerous.