Settling of New England

2.4

Puritanism

• Religious principles & how to organize society

• Church of England still too Catholic – Elaborate ceremonies, priests can’t marry,

decorations = “popery”– Seek to reform from w/in

• Reject hierarchical church structure• Local congregations choose clergy &

worship (Congregationalists)

The Sermon

• Read your Bible– Individual interpretation

• Listen to educated ministers

• Rather than sacraments & formulaic prayers

John Calvin

• The elect & the damned

• God chooses who to save

• No guarantee of salvation

• Worldly behavior may be a sign of grace or damnation

Separatists

• Abandon Church of England

• Charles I – church more Catholic– Puritans persecuted

• Decided to leave– Escape religious & worldly corruptions of

England

Aims

• Bible Commonwealth that would rescue England from godlessness & social decay– “city set upon a hill”

• Liberty to worship & govern in Christian way

Natural Liberty

• A liberty to do evil – bad

• Leads to anarchy

Moral Liberty

• A liberty to do only which is good

• True freedom depends on obeying the law– Religious & government

• Right to est. churches & laws

• Others can’t challenge beliefs or authority

Pilgrims

• Separatists

• 1608 Netherlands

• 1620 want to go to VA– Supported by English investors (trade)

• Mayflower 150 many not Puritans

• Off course & land in MA (Plymouth)

Mayflower Compact

• Form of government

• Men will obey “just & equal laws”

• Representative government

Rocky Beginnings

• Indians gone

• Plymouth site abandoned village

• ½ died that winter

Indian Help

• Squanto– Interpreter– Fish & plant corn– Alliance w/ Massasoit

• 1621 Thanksgiving

Christian Society

• Government by consent

• Voting not restricted to church members

• Common land until 1627 then divided

• Independent until 1691

MA Bay Colony

• 1629 MA. Bay Co. – Purpose

• Great Migration– 1629-1642 (21,000)– Less 1/3 England's emigrants – Ends around 1640

Uniqueness

• Families

• Religious persecution, anxiety, economics

• Older, wealthier, equal sex ratio, climate

• 1700 white pop. NE larger than Chesapeake & West Indies– Pop. doubles every 27 yrs

Puritan Family

• Patriarchy– English model– Essential in farm society– Man absolute / like God & king

• Women– Spiritually equal, church members– Marriage respected– Married by 22, 7 births

• Single adults dangerous

Towns

• Social unity good / excessive individualism bad

• Self-governing towns– Land divided– Congregational church & school

• 1636 Harvard College

Government

• Principle of consent– Church– General Court & local officials

• Freemen elected own leaders

• “Visible Saints”

• Democracy w/in circle of church membership

Class Hierarchy

• “Some must be rich & some poor, some high & with power & others ruled” - John Winthrop

• Prominent families got best land & seats at church

• Ordinary people couldn’t dress like gentlemen, different titles

1641 Body of Liberties

• Liberties were privileges based on status

• Inequality was God’s will

• Separate lists

• Slavery ok

• Free speech, assembly, equal protection

Church & State

• MA ministers couldn’t hold office

• Church & state connected– Every town church & tax for minister– No separate church court

• Death penalty– Worshiping false gods– Witchcraft– blasphemy