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

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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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