Section 2: The New England Colonies

Pilgrims and Puritans Puritans wanted to purify the Anglican Church; believed the priests and bishops had too much power over the church. Pilgrims wanted to separate from the Church of England; formed their own church. Anglican leaders began to persecute them Pilgrims went to the Netherlands first to escape persecution. Afraid their children would lose their English traditions, formed a joint-stock company with some merchants and got permission from England to settle in Virginia. Left England on the Mayflower on Sept. 16 1620.

The Mayflower Compact The Pilgrims were off course and knew if they didn’t landed outside of the authority of Virginia their charter wouldn’t apply. They established basic laws and social rules to govern the colony they would found. The Mayflower Compact – a legal contract in which they agreed to have fair laws to protect the general good. This is the first attempt at self-government in the English colonies Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in present-day Mass. Struggled during the first winter and nearly half died from sickness and freezing weather.

Pilgrims and Native Americans (Thanksgiving according to the book) Native American by the name of Samoset walked into the Pilgrim settlement and spoke broken English he’d learned from English fishing boat crews and gave Pilgrims useful info about the peoples and places of the area He introduced them to a Patuxet named Squanto, who at one time lived in Europe and spoke English very well. Squanto taught them how to fertilize the soil with fish remains and helped them establish relations with the local Wampanoag They invited Wampanoag chief Massasoit and 90 other guests to celebrate their harvest.

Thanksgiving as remembered by the Native Americans. “The first Thanksgiving Day did occur in the year 1637, but it was nothing like our Thanksgiving today. On that day the Massachusetts Colony Governor, John Winthrop, proclaimed such a “Thanksgiving” to celebrate the safe return of a band of heavily armed hunters, all colonial volunteers. They had just returned from their journey to what is now Mystic, Connecticut where they massacred 700 Pequot Indians. Seven hundred Indians - men, women and children - all murdered.” -Richard Greener Huffington Post You can read the whole article on Blackboard.

Pilgrim Community Families were center of religious life, health care, and community well-being All family members worked; women did house duties and men worked the fields Women had more legal rights in Plymouth than they did in England. They could sign contracts, bring cases before local courts and widows could also own property.

Puritans leave England and the Great Migration Puritans began to be punished in England because they disagreed with official opinions and King Charles I refused to allow them to criticize the church. The economic, political and religious problems in England led to the Great Migration Great Migration – between 1629 and 1640 more than 40,000 English men, women and children moved to English colonies in New England and the Caribbean. Puritans went to Massachusetts Bay Colony for religious freedom and were led by John Winthrop They believed they’d made a covenant with God to build an ideal Christian community.

Religion and Gov’t Massachusetts Bay Colony had to obey English laws but their charter provided more independence than did the royal charter of Virginia Puritans created a General Court which was used as a type of self-gov’t to represent the needs of the people Each town sent 2 or 3 delegates to the Court. Male church members were the only ones who could vote. Colonists became a full member in the church by passing a public test to prove that their faith was strong. Gov’t leaders were church members; Ministers had great authorities Gov’t leaders outlawed certain religious views; Gov’t leaders punished dissenters

Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Puritan dissenters Puritans were kind of strict aka crazy… Everyone did not share the Puritan’s religious zealous views. Connecticut 1636 – Min. Thomas Hooker left the colony to found Connecticut 1639 – Hooker wrote the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut Made colonial government more democratic & allowed men who weren’t church members to vote Rhode Island Min. Roger Williams criticize Puritans for taking land from Na. Amer w/o payment Forced to leave Mass.; founded new settlement Providence, later known as the colony of Rhode Island Williams supported the separation of church and state and religious tolerance for all members of the community.

Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Puritan dissenters Puritans were kind of strict aka crazy… Anne Hutchinson Discussed religious ideas considered radical, Puritan leaders alarmed by her views She was put on trial and forced out of Mass. Founded the settlement of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island, later became part of Rhode Island Salem Witch Trials Happened in the early 1690s A group of girls accused people of casting spells on them Community formed a special court to judge the witchcraft Court pressured the women to confess, 19 people were put to death.

Education Mass. passed some of the first laws requiring parents to provide instruction for their children. 1647 – The Gen. Court of Mass. issued an order that a school be founded in every township of 50 families. Availiability of edu varied. Most children learned to read the Bible and about their religious values. Most kids stopped education after the elementary grades, which many went to work after that. 1636 – John Harvard & the Gen Court founded Harvard College (the first higher edu institution in American) 1693 – College of William & Mary founded in Virginia (2nd higher edu institution)