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