1. New England Colonies

3. New England Economy
Not much commercial farming – rocky New England soil
New England harbors
Fishing/Whaling
Whale Oil
Shipping/Trade
Heavily Forested
Lumber
Manufacturing
First factories
Rum
Made from Molasses
Largest industry in America after 1664
New York, Boston
Some estimates had every American drinking 3 gallons/yr.
Shipbuilding

4. New England Colonies Massachusetts Connecticut Rhode Island
Plymouth—1620
Massachusetts Bay Colony—1629
Connecticut
Rhode Island
New Hampshire

5. The Great Migration
In the 1620’s, 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 1630 and 1640.

6. Massachusetts Bay Colony
1629--Massachusetts Bay Company granted a charter by Charles I
Company Colony – owned by stock-holders
All stocks were eventually bought by Puritans and decided to move company to America
Led by John Winthrop, over 1000 Puritans sailed to Massachusetts to establish an ideal Christian community in New England.
“City on a hill”
First land in Salem, then Boston
Colony grows and prospers
Well prepared for the task
Little resistance from Indians
Trade with Plymouth
Healthier climate than Virginia
John Winthrop

7. Massachusetts Bay
Company Charter provided more freedom than royal charter in Virginia
Provided that a General Court in Massachusetts would make laws, and elect a governor and other officials
Families, and later towns, would send representatives to the General Court
Only male church members were eligible to vote
This created a Theocracy – government ruled by, or subject to, the church

8. 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 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.
Puritains were afraid of losing control of the colony to outside forces.
Painting by Thomas Slatterwhite Noble

9. Connecticut
Some colonists disagreed with the church’s influence on government
Minister Thomas Hooker believed that any property owner should be eligible to vote, regardless of church membership
In 1636, Hooker and 100 of his followers were granted permission to leave Massachusetts to create a new settlement - Connecticut
Proprietary colony – owned by one or more individuals
1639—Fundamental Orders of Connecticut made the government more democratic
Possibly the first written Constitution in the Western World
Acknowledges individual rights of man and government’s job to protect them
Men who were not church members were allowed to vote
General Courts/Assemblies are developing representative government
Still part of Connecticut’s Constitution

10. New Hampshire
The English crown granted land to Captain John Mason and others in 1623
Proprietary colony
Sent 2 groups of settlers to the new territory to create a fishing colony
Little Harbor, Dover
Mason died in 1635 before ever arriving in N.H.
Made agreement in 1641 to join Massachusetts Bay Colony for protection
Became a royal colony in 1679 – under control of the crown

11. Rhode Island Founded by Puritan minister Roger Williams
Disagreed with leaders in Massachusetts
Believed in “Soul-Liberty” – people should have right to opinion on religious matters
“Wall of Separation” between church and politics
Promoted religious tolerance
Wanted to deal fairly with Indians
Exiled from Massachusetts and settled to the south in Providence in 1644
Given land by Natives
Proprietary Colony
Anne Hutchinson
Challenged church leaders
Banished in 1637 and founded Portsmouth in Rhode Island
Roger Williams