1. The New England Colonies
Chapter 3 Section 2

2. Geography of New England
Northeastern corner of the United States
Northern New England:
New Hampshire
Vermont
Maine
Southern New England
Massachusetts
Connecticut
Rhode Island

4. Hills
Low mountains
Large areas of forests
Soil is thin and rocky—farming difficult
Narrow plains along Atlantic coastline
Connecticut River- world’s longest river- flows from New Hampshire and Vermont through Massachusetts and Connecticut
Richest fishing grounds in the world
Winters long and snowy
Summer short and warm

5. Puritans in Massachusetts Bay
Puritans had disagreement with the Church of England
Did not want to split from the Church
Wanted to reform the church
King Charles I opposed their movement and persecuted many Puritans

6. The Puritans Leave England
In 1630, about 900 Puritans set off in 11 ships
Formed the Massachusetts Bay Company
Puritans led by John Winthrop

7. The Massachusetts Bay Colony
Main town: Boston
1643: 20,000 people lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
Mid 1630’s: elected assembly (the General Court)
Voting limited to adult male members of the Puritan Church
Both general court and colony’s governor elected each year
Puritans found their colony so they could worship freely. However they did not believe in religious toleration for others: recognition that other people have the right to different opinions

8. New Colonies
Disagreements about religion led to other colonies in New England
Roger Williams: minister of a church in the town of Salem
Believed the Puritans should split entirely from the Church of England
Forced to leave Massachusetts Bay in 1635
Moved south (Rhode Island)
Bought land from Native Americans
1636- founded the town of Providence
1644- received charter to govern themselves
Decided that Rhode Island would have no established church

9. Ann Hutchinson’s Dissent
Boston woman
Intelligent, strong willed, well spoken
Questioned some of the Puritans teachings
Put on trial in expelled from Massachusetts
Established a settlement on an island that is now part of Rhode Island
1642- traveled to New York

10. Settling Connecticut
Thomas Hooker- minister- disagreed with the Puritan leaders
Left Massachusetts with 100 followers (1636)
Settled in Connecticut
Founded the town of Hartford

11. 1639- colonists drew up the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
1662- received charter from the king granting self-government
John Wheelright- forced to leave Massachusetts
1638- moved to New Hampshire
Founded town of Exeter
1680- New Hampshire a separate colony

12. Growth and Change
Each Puritan town governed itself by setting up a town meeting- an assembly of townspeople that decides local issues
Membership restricted to male heads of households
Meetings set local taxes/elected people to run the towns

13. King Phillip’s War
1675
Chief of the Wampanoag- Metacom (also called King Phillip) tried to stop Puritan expansion
Fighting last a year- costs thousands of lives
Destroyed 12 English towns
1676- Metacom captured and killed
Left the English colonies free to expand

14. Puritan Influence Declines
New generation of people born
Religious outlook declines
Successful merchants becoming community leaders
English colonies doing well
Stern religious rules had less influence of the people who lived there by the 1670’s