The New England Colonies 7th Grade Unit 2 Ch.3, Section 2

Religious Freedom In 1534, King Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church and formed the Anglican Church Catholics dissented and were often persecuted Protestants wanted to reform the Anglican Church Known as Puritans Some Protestants wanted to break away Known as Separatists Persecuted and fled to the Netherlands

Separatists in Netherlands made arrangement with the Virginia Company to settle in Virginia and practice their religion freely In return they would give the Virginia Company a share of any profits they made Considered themselves Pilgrims because their journey to America was religious in nature September 1620 they board the Mayflower 35 of 102 passengers were Pilgrims, others were “strangers”—servants, craftspeople, and poor farmers

The Plymouth Colony (Massachusetts) Mayflower’s passengers intended to settle in Virginia 1st land spotted was Cape Cod and winter was fast approaching Dropped anchor in Cape Cod Bay Went ashore at Plymouth

Plymouth was outside the territory of Virginia Company and its laws Before going ashore, Pilgrims drew up the Mayflower Compact Pledged loyalty to England and declared the intention of forming a civil body Necessary step in developing representative government in America

In their 1st American winter, nearly half the Pilgrims died Malnutrition, disease, cold In the Spring, Native Americans approached the settlement Squanto and Samoset befriended the colonists Showed the colonists how to grow corn, beans, and pumpkins and how to hunt and fish Massasoit (Wampanoag leader) signed a treaty of peace with the settlers

New Settlements In 1625, Charles I ascended the English throne and objected to the Puritan’s call for reform of the Anglican Church Puritans heavily persecuted Looking for a way to leave England

Massachusetts In 1629, a group of Puritans formed the Massachusetts Bay Company Received a charter to establish a colony north of Plymouth Create a society based on the Bible Company chose well-educated Puritan John Winthrop to be the colony’s governor 1630 led 900 colonists to Massachusetts Bay and settled in a place called Boston

During 1630s more than 15,000 Puritans journeyed to Massachusetts Escape religious persecution and economic hardships Known as the Great Migration

At first, laws were made by Winthrop and his assistants Selected by General Court—colony stockholders 1634 settlers demanded a role in the government General Court became an elected assembly Adult male church members could vote for governor and town representatives to the General Court

Puritans came to America to put religious beliefs into practice Little toleration for those whose beliefs were different than their own Lack of toleration led to creation of new colonies

Connecticut A minister named Thomas Hooker was dissatisfied with how Winthrop ran the Massachusetts colony 1636 led his congregation through the wilderness to Connecticut Founded towns of Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield Adopted plan of government called the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut 1st written constitution in America

Rhode Island Rhode Island was settled by colonists forced out of Massachusetts 1st was minister Roger Williams, banished in 1635 Felt people should not be persecuted for their religious practices Government should not force people to worship in a certain way Believed it was wrong for settlers to take land from Native Americans Took refuge with the Narraganset people who sold Williams land to form the town of Providence Williams received a charter in 1644 for a colony east of Connecticut Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Policy of religious tolerance—all were welcome, even Jews

New Hampshire 1638 New Hampshire Settled by dissidents of Massachusetts, led by John Wheelwright Town of Exeter and Hampton Known for tolerance of religious differences just like Rhode Island

Conflict with Natives King Philip’s War was between the settlers and the Wampanoag Natives were angry over settlers taking land without permission or payment Wampanoag chief was known as “King Philip” by the settlers Natives were defeated leaving colonists free to expand New England settlements