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The New England ColoniesPLYMOUTH/NEW ENGLAND

New England Colonies, 1650

Reforming England in America

Pilgrims Separatists who refused to

worship in the Church of England

1620—Plymouth founded Mayflower Compact Governor William Bradford and

Squanto ensured colony survived 1691—absorbed into

Massachusetts Bay

“The Great Migration”

1630—John Winthrop led Puritan group to Massachusetts with charter giving them power to make decisions without direction from England Declared they would form a

“city upon a hill”

“A City upon a Hill”: Settlement

1630-1640—16,000 immigrated Settlers usually came as family units Area settled was generally healthy Puritans’ view of their colony:

Success as part of covenant with God A “beacon of righteousness” to the

world Church attendance required, but

membership not automatic

“A City on a Hill”: Politics

Public confession and execution of criminals

Government by elected representatives responsible to God

All adult male church members could vote

Ministers had no formal role and were prohibited from holding office

Town was center of Puritan life

Limits of Religious Dissent: Roger Williams

Extreme separatist Questioned validity of colony’s

charter Advocated toleration of

religious beliefs, while Puritans opposed religious dissent

Expelled to Rhode Island, 1636

Limits of Religious Dissent:Anne Hutchinson

Claimed direct divine inspiration by the Holy Spirit

Suggested Puritan ministers were no better than those of Church of England Called established church into

question Banished to Rhode Island in 1637

Immigrant Families and New Social Order

Huge population growth caused by high life expectancy

Multigenerational families strengthened social stability

Education valued and provided by the family

Social Hierarchy in New England

Absence of a rich elite class necessitated creation of new social order Much more equal society than

Chesapeake Only moderate disparities of wealth

King Philip’s War

1675—Metacomet led alliance against colonists

Colonists struggled to unite, to defeat Indians

Deaths totaled 1000+ Indians and colonists

Plymouth Colony lost 8% of its adult male population

By the end of the war, one-third of New England's approximately 100 towns had been burned and abandoned