New England Colonies

New England Colonies

• Massachusetts

– Plymouth—1620

– Massachusetts Bay – Massachusetts Bay

Colony—1629

• Connecticut

• New Hampshire

• Rhode Island

Protestants in EnglandSome Protestants in England became dissatisfied with

the Church of England

• Separatists

– Wanted to separate from or

leave the Church; became known

as Pilgrims

• Puritans

– Wanted to purify or

reform the Church from

within.as Pilgrims

• The Pilgrims immigrated to

the Netherlands

– The Dutch were very open to

religious freedom

– The group grew to over 500

• Returned to England to

maintain English traditions

within.

Pilgrims

• Joint stock company formed

to fund passage to America

– Included many non-pilgrim

members

• Only 35 of original 102 • Only 35 of original 102

passengers were Pilgrims

– Received charter from Virginia

company to settle at the

mouth of the Hudson River

– Led by William Bradford ,

sailed from England on the

Mayflower in September 1620

The Mayflower Compact

• After two months at sea,

the Pilgrims realized that

they were far north of their

original destination.

• Fearing disorder, the ship’s

leaders drafted a set of leaders drafted a set of

guidelines for self-

government of the new

colony.

• 41 men, stockholders and

indentured servants alike,

signed the compact in

November.

The Mayflower Compact

• One of the first examples of a self-government in the colonies

• Foundation for republican government government

• Colonists agreed to create a government that would make laws and ordinances for the good of the colony and all would obey .

Plymouth Colony

Captain Miles Standish and William Bradford led an expedition

to find suitable settlement location

– Leave most passengers on ship

• Many grow sick, die

– Spend nearly one month – Spend nearly one month scouting the land

• Raid deserted Indian village

– Discover corn, graves

• First encounter with Native Americans; shots are fired.

• Decide on Plymouth Bay

Plymouth Rock• Pilgrims land in Plymouth

Harbor in December 1620 – Rocky soil, heavily wooded

– Build settlement next to abandoned Indian Village

• Already cleared for farming

– Construction begins shortly after

– Construction begins shortly after

• Clear trees

• First building was common building/meeting house

– Log walls, grass roof

• Each family responsible for building their own home

• 7 homes, 4 “hospitals” built by February

• Little early contact with

Indians

• The Colonists’ first winter is

extremely harsh; nearly

one- half of the settlers die.

Indian Encounter

• In March 1621 a Wampanoag Indian named Samoset wanders into camp and says “Welcome Englishmen!” – Introduces Pilgrims to Squanto, a Pawtuxet Indian who had

lived in Europe and spoke English well

– Pawtuxet died of disease; he was taken in by Wampanoag

• Squanto, was a great help to the colonists • Squanto, was a great help to the colonists

– Taught them to fertilize the fields with fish remains

– Introduced them to the local Wampanoag tribe

• In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims (51) invited the

Wampanoag tribe (90) and Chief Massasoit to

celebrate their first successful harvest

• First Thanksgiving: 3 days of feasting and games

The Great Migration

• Plymouth Colony grew stronger in the 1620’s

• At the same time, England began to

experience an economic downturn

– High unemployment

– Charles I raises taxes

• Church of England began to punish Puritans

because they were critical of the church.

• More than 40,000 Englishmen immigrated to

the colonies in the Caribbean and New

England between 1629 and 1640.

Massachusetts Bay Colony• 1629--Massachusetts Bay

Company granted a charter by

Charles I.

• Led by John Winthrop, a fleet

of Puritan ships sailed to

Massachusetts to establish an Massachusetts to establish an

ideal Christian community in

New England.

• Colony grows and prospers

– Well prepared for the task

– Little resistance from Indians

– Trade with Plymouth

– Healthier climate than VirginiaJohn Winthrop

Church and State in New England

Massachusetts Bay

• Company Charter provided

more freedom than royal

charter in Virginia

• Subject to English law

Connecticut

• 1636--Founded by Thomas

Hooker

• 1639—Fundamental Orders

of Connecticut made the

government more • General Court as self-

government

• Government leaders were

Church leaders

• Church members were the

only colonists who could

vote

government more

democratic

– Men who were not church

members were allowed to

vote

– General Courts/Assemblies

are developing representative

government

New Hampshire

• Planned colony

• Granted to Captain John Mason in 1629

– Proprietary colony

– Sent settlers to the new territory to create a – Sent settlers to the new territory to create a

fishing colony

– Died before ever seeing the land where he had

spent a considerable amount of money building

towns and defenses.

• Became a royal colony in 1679

Rhode Island• Founded by Puritan minister

Roger Williams

• Disagreed with leaders in

Massachusetts

– Separation of church and politics

– Promoted religious tolerance– Promoted religious tolerance

– Wanted to deal fairly with Indians

• Forced out of Massachusetts

and settled to the south in

Providence in 1644

• Anne Hutchinson

– Challenged church leaders

– Banished and founded Portsmouth Roger Williams

Salem Witch Trials• In the early 1690’s, a group of

girls accused people, mostly

women, of casting spells on

them.

• Special Courts were formed to

conduct witchcraft trials, often

marked by hysteriamarked by hysteria

• Accused were often pressured

to confess

• Trials led to the execution of 19

people for witchcraft

• Within a year, officials regretted

the trials and apologized for the

actions of the Salem Court.Painting by Thomas Slatterwhite Noble

Economics and Education

• Economy

– Trade was vital

• Merchants, fishing,

shipbuilding

– Skilled labor necessary

• Education

– Literacy important so that

people could read the

Bible

• Town schools--often – Skilled labor necessary

– Climate and soil did not

favor agriculture

– Farmers grew crops and

raised animals for their

own use

– Slavery not important in

this region

• Town schools--often

stopped after elementary

school

• More than in other colonies

• By 1700: 70% of men and

45% of women could read

– Higher Education

• 1636—Harvard College

• 1701—Yale College

New England Primer