Colonial New England

Aim: What type of society did the Puritans establish in Colonial New England?

I. Puritan Origins

1517: Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation.

John Calvin’s use of Luther’s ideas had a profound effect on the thought and character of America.

Calvinism became the dominant theological credo.

I. Puritan Origins

Major doctrines of Calvinism are predestination—the elect are destined for eternal bliss and others for eternal torment—and conversion—the receipt of God’s free gift.

1530s: King Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church.

Puritans: English religious reformers who wanted to purify English Christianity.

II. The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony

Controversy over church membership led to the Separatists breaking from the Church of England.

1620: Some Separatists (known as Pilgrims) sailed on the Mayflower to Plymouth Bay.

Their Mayflower Compact was an agreement (democratic?) to form a government and submit to the will of the majority under some regulations.

Mayflower Compact (1620)

"In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the General good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In Witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620."

III. Massachusetts Bay Colony

Non-separatist Arrived in 1630—John Winthrop becomes

governor Covenant with God (“the elect”)

believed they had a covenant with God to build a holy society as a model for all humankind. “City upon a Hill”

Puritan “work ethic” - serious commitment to work and worldly pursuits

Great Migration: By 1640, approx 20,000 arrived from England

Map 3.1b p45

Population in the Colonies

New England Colonies, 1650

Massachusetts Bay Government

General Court – legislative assembly of freeman (stockholders); church members; no women Massachusetts Body of Liberties

Town Meetings –administered local affairs, land distribution

Economy: Farming, shipping, fishing, trade; some slavery Protestant work ethic: Hard work, frugality,

thriftiness, etc. Society: Patriarchal Half-way Covenant - provided a partial church

membership for the children and grandchildren of church members

IV. Religious Intolerance Quakers – flogged; fled to PA Roger Williams –

Liberty of Conscience Separation of church and state Tolerant (esp. w/ Indians) Opposed alliance of church and civil gov’t Banished – Rhode Island, a liberal colony of religious

tolerance, freedom, and democracy Anne Hutchinson

Antinomian - one who opposes the law Preached at her house

Winthrop said Hutchinson’s lectures were “not tolerable nor comely in the sight of God nor fitting for your sex”

- Stood trial, deemed a heretic, banished Traveled to RI and then to NY

Salem Witch Trials

V. New England Spreads Out

The fertile Connecticut River area attracted a sprinkling of Dutch and English settlers.

1635: Hartford was founded. 1639: Connecticut’s Fundamental Orders

was a modern constitution that established a regime democratically controlled by the “substantial” citizens.

1638: New Haven was founded by Puritans.

Map 3.2 p48

V. New England Spreads Out

1677: Maine was absorbed by Massachusetts.

1641: New Hampshire was absorbed by the Bay Colony.

1679: King Charles II separated New Hampshire from Massachusetts and made it a royal colony.

VI. Puritans Versus Indians

Before Pilgrims arrived in 1620, an epidemic killed over 75% of the native people.

Wampanoag Indians befriended the settlers. 1621: Wampanoag chieftain Massasoit signed a

treaty with the Plymouth Pilgrims. 1621: The first Thanksgiving was celebrated.

Expanding settlement increased tensions.

VI. Puritans Versus Indians

1637: Hostilities between Indians and whites exploded in the brutal Pequot War

1675: Massasoit’s son Metacom (King Philip) forged intertribal alliance to resist settlers.

1675–1676: King Philip’s War slowed English settlement for a time, but overall inflicted a lasting defeat on Indians in New England.

p49

VII. Organizing New England

1643: Four colonies formed New England Confederation. Its primary aim was defense against foes. Each colony had two votes.

1686: Royal authority created the Dominion of New England It embraced New England, and two years later

New York and East and West Jersey. Sir Edmund Andros headed the Dominion.

VIII. New England Society

Puritan ideology placed men as head of household

Unequal inheritances, punishments

Bearing and rearing children were important tasks – Puritan women spent much of their adult lives pregnant or caring for young children

VIII. New England Society:Women in Colonial America

Men often gained land they could have never had in England

Arranged marriages common

Bride relinquished legal ownership of property to husband

After husband’s death, only received 1/3 of property

VIII. New England Society:Crisis of Freehold Society

As population grew, land and resources became less available

Parents had less control over children as they had less to offer them – rise in premarital conceptions

Began to have smaller families to make land available to children

Developed household mode of production

Envisioning Evidence

PATTERNS OF SETTLEMENT IN NEW ENGLAND AND THE CHESAPEAKE COMPARED

IX. New Netherlands

17th century: Dutch golden age. Dutch expanded their commercial and naval power

to become a leading colonial power. Hudson explores New York area New Amsterdam established as capital of New

Netherlands Ruled by Gov. Peter Stuyvesant England takes over in 1664

New York Dutch influence:

– Place names– Gambrel-roofed architecture– Social customs and folkways (e.g., Easter eggs, Santa Claus)

MAP 3.3 European Colonies of the Atlantic Coast 1607–39

X. Pennsylvania

Charles II bestowed Pennsylvania on William Penn as payment for debt

Designed by Penn as a refuge for Quakers

Quakers believed all men and women had “inner light”

Prohibited an established church and allowed all property-owning men to vote and hold office

X. Pennsylvania

Noted features of the colony: No provision for a military defense No restrictions on immigration Strong dislike of slavery Some progress toward social reform Contained many different ethnic groups Afforded economic opportunity, civil

liberty, and religious freedom

XI. Middle Colonies

NY, NJ and Pennsylvania became home to people of different origins, languages and religions

People tended to cling to their traditions , creating diverse groupings within the colonies

Led to ethnic and religious tension that foreshadowed later problems in the United States

Middle Colonies

Common features of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania: They had extensive fertile soil. They became the “bread colonies” because

of grain exports. Rivers like the Susquehanna, the Delaware,

and the Hudson tapped the interior fur trade. Industry stimulated commerce and the

growth of seaports like New York and Philadelphia.

Middle Colonies

The middle colonies were midway between New England and the southern plantations: Landholding was intermediate in size. Local government was between

personalized town meetings of New England and diffused county government of the South.

They had fewer industries than New England, but more than the South.

Middle Colonies

Distinctions of their own: A more ethnically mixed population An unusual degree of religious toleration

and democratic control Desirable land that was easier to acquire Considerable economic and social

democracy

All American colonies flourished under Britain’s continuing hands-off policies.