THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES

GEOGRAPHY

NE corner of the US- includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, MA, CT, RI, NH,

-Hills, low mountains, forests.

-Thin rocky soil… hard to farm.

-LOTS of coastline, great fishing.

Long, snowy winters.

Short, warm summers. (People lived longer because of the climate

than settlers in Virginia.)

PURITANS

-Similar, but not the same as Pilgrims.

-They don’t split off from the Church entirely, they just want to reform it, make it better.

-1620s- England. Charles I opposes them, makes life reallyhard. What should they do?

-They leave!

1630- 900 Puritans take 11 ships. Got a charter (like Jamestown!) to settle in MA and NH.http://www.history.com/topics/us-states/massachusetts/videos/puritans-vs-pilgrims

JOHN WINTHROP

Leader, lawyer, landowner.

“Now the only way…is…to walk humbly with our God…We must consider that we shall be as a City upon a Hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.” -1630

What does that mean???

MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONYMain town: Boston

Why: The harbor!

By 1643, 20,000 people lived in the colony.

Had an elected assembly, the General Court.Adult males of the Puritan church. Elected members and governor yearly.

Founded for religious freedom, intolerant of other churches. Ironic, right? Didn’t believe in toleration. This leads to trouble…

ROGER WILLIAMSWilliams was a minister in Salem. He wanted the Puritans to split entirely from the Church of England.

Criticized people who took Native American land- said they should pay for the lands.

What did the Puritans do?

Kicked him out, of course.

He moved south, bought land from the Native Americans, formed

Rhode Island, 1636.

RHODE ISLAND

1644- Charter from the king to govern themselves. Decided that Rhode Island would have no established church- people of all faiths could live there.

A lot of Jewish people settled there.

ANNE HUTCHINSON

She questioned part of the Puritan teachings. Put on trial in 1638. What happened?

Yep, kicked her out too.

She went to RI, settled on an island. Later moved down into NY.

THOMAS HOOKER

Also disagreed with the Puritan leaders.

Took 100 followers, moved south. Settled Connecticut.

Wrote the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- set up a new government with an elected legislature and governor. Granted a charter in 1662.

JOHN WHEELRIGHT

Agreed with some of Hutchinson’s views. So, shocker… they kicked him out.

Founded New Hampshire, the town of Exeter.

MA tried to control the colony, until they were granted a charter in 1680, making them an official separate place.

LIFE AS A PURITAN

Spoiler alert- its not fun.

Towns and churches should manage their own affairs.

People should work hard.

Families should be stable.

Government: Town meetings. People deciding on local issues. What kind of people?? Male heads of households.

Believe in free education.

MAKING MONEY

Some farmers, some leather

workers.

LOTS of cod fishermen,

ship building.

KING PHILLIP’S WAR

1670s- Native American

population decreasing.

Disease!

Decreased to 1/10 of

population from 100 years before.

AKA

Metacom, AKA King Phillip, leader of the Wampanoag.

Goal: Stop Puritan expansion.

Makes alliance with tribes from ME to RI

Lasts 1 year

Metacom captured, killed. Puritans expand their land.