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.
Top Related