New England Colonies

1620 - 1700

Themes

• Motivations for traveling; religion was important

• Early histories and life in Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony

• New England society• Interaction between Native Americans and

colonists in New England

Major Religions in Europe (1560)

• In 1530s King Henry VIII of England established Anglican Church (Church of England)

Religion in England (Puritans)

• Puritans’ Goals:1. Purify the Church of England to eliminate

corrupting Catholic influences2. Membership should be limited only to an

elect view who had undergone a conversion experience

Religion in England (Pilgrims)

• Pilgrims’ Goals:1. Agree with goals of Puritans, but were

radicals2. Believed they must separate from the

Anglican church in order to practice their religious beliefs.

Pilgrims in England

• Being to radical, Queen Elizabeth exiled the Pilgrims

• Some went to Germany, Netherlands, and France before returning to England in 1615

Destination: Plymouth?

• In 1614, Plymouth Company hired John Smith to give them a start

• Smith travels up and down the coast and writes, “A description of New England”

• Encourages people to settle there

Pilgrims Take Action

• Negotiated with Plymouth Company to establish a settlement north of Virginia

• Mayflower sets sail in October 1620• Lands at Plymouth Plantation in December 1620• It had been a site of a former Indian tribe which

had been abandoned because of disease• Signed the Mayflower Compact

- When we establish a colony, it will be governed by the rule of law and not the individual

Colonizing New England (1620 – 1691)

Mayflower Compact

• Signed by all men on the Mayflower:1. Declared their support for King James2. Created a government to establish rules for

the colony3. Local government4. Step towards self government in North

America

Plymouth

• Late 1620 comes a harsh winter• The Pilgrims are beginning to find out that

little grows on their land• Food supply begins to run low; first three

months over half the Pilgrims die• Between winter and spring the Pilgrims realize

there are others settled here as well

Pokanoket Tribe

• They do not want any enemies• They begin to teach the settlers how to plant

crops in the soil by using fish oil as fertilizer • All the Pokanoket ask in return is help against

a rival tribe• Pilgrims can provide guns • August 1621: Both launch an attack against

the rival tribe

Plymouth

• Included 24 families and 102 settlers• William Bradford was elected Governor 30

times• Two local Indians helped• In 1621 they celebrated following their first

harvest; Thanksgiving• Remained very small, but important

settlement in New England

Early Interaction with Native Americans

• Squanto – acted as interpreter because he was captured by fisherman and taken to Europe, helped them plant corn and squash, and negotiate an agreement with Massasoit

• Massasoit – Wampanoag leader, signed a treaty of friendship with the Pilgrims

Plymouth Economy

• Puritans could not turn to farming • Farming does not make profit, can’t grow

tobacco• The Puritans at Plymouth will turn to fishing

and whaling and ships/lumber, furs• By 1630, thriving Puritan colonies in

Massachusetts • This economic boom draws other Puritans from

England

Decline in Real Wages in England(1500 – 1700)

• Living standards declined along with wages

• Population increased and land became more scarce

English Migration (1610 – 1660)

• Persecution in England by King Charles I in 1625 led to dramatic increase in settlement

• By 1700 New England’s population was about 93,000

Puritan Diaspora (1630s – 1640s)

• Puritans begin to expand in Mass- Rhode Island, Connecticut, Salem, Boston

• Boston- Major shipping business city. Transforms Boston’s harbor to one of the world’s most massive ports

Colonizing New England(1620 – 1674)

Colonizing New England(1620 – 1674)

• Most important settlement was Boston by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630

• Settlers here were given a charter to establish a self governing colony

• About 700 arrived in 1630 in about 11 ships

Massachusetts Bay Colony

• John Winthrop – one influential leader• Advocated the Puritans to establish a “city

upon a hill” after his sermon entitled “A Model of Christian Charity”

• Served as Governor and held additional leadership positions

“A Model of Christian Charity”

Outlined the Goals of Puritan Settlers• Establish a religious utopia dedicated to the

teachings of Christianity• To be successful, ALL would have to work

together • If they succeeded, they would be a model for

others; but if they failed, they would be shame to themselves and to God

• Philosophy of: “Do whatever it takes”

Church and State in New England

• No separation of church and state• Taxes funded ministers’ salaries and churches “Blue Laws:” - Required church attendance; also prohibited

drunkenness, card playing, public kissing, etc.

New England Wealth

• 1620 – 1650 New England becomes the wealthiest region of the English colonies. How?

• Predestination- leads Puritans to question salvation. Led them to believe in “Good Works”- every moment that you are awake do what is necessary - don’t waste money and buy expensive things be humble and save money

• Puritans save money to provide for community and future generations

New England Wealth

• Puritan Work Ethic- Treat your job as if it were your family - A system that everyone has to abide to

• Leads to modern day Capitalism

Dissenters(Roger Williams)

• Minister who called for separation of church and state• Declared the colony had no legal right to own land

because they have no purchased it from the Native Americans

• Banished in 1635; moved to “Providence” and began his own colony

• Purchased the land from Native Americans inhabiting the area and received a charter from England to begin a settlement

• Rhode Island practiced the first religious toleration in America

Colonizing New England (1620 – 1674)

Dissenter (Anne Hutchinson)

• A mother of 14 children • Arrived in Mass in 1634 and began preaching in her

home• It very uncommon for women to hold any prayer

meetings or be the head of a religious group at that time• Challenged the authority of ministers and was placed on

trial• Declared she had received revelations from God• New England’s Puritans believed Hutchinson’s

statements to be heresy.

Anne Hutchinson and Gender

• One critic commented, “You have stepped out of your place; you [would] have rather been a husband than a wife, a preacher than a hearer; and a magistrate than a subject.”

Dissenters: Williams and Hutchinson

• Many of New England’s residents relocated to practice their religion freely

• That was however not the case• If people were not of Puritan faith, they were

persecuted or banished • The people that were persecuted went on to

establish colonies of their own to practice their own religion

Native Americans (Pequot War, 1636 – 1637)

• Tension developed between Pequots and colonists as the English expanded into Connecticut

• Pequots, who were dominant in the fur trade, were being threatened by English expansion

• Colonists from Massachusetts and Connecticut attacked the Pequot Village in Mystic

• About 400 Pequots died as the village was burned • Ended Pequot resistance to English expansion

Colonizing New England (1620 – 1674)

Native Americans in Colonies

• Indian populations drop dramatically - From about 125,000 in 1600 to 10,000 in 1675• English settlement continued to expand • Wild animals were replaced by domesticated

animals• Another conflict emerged by 1670s

Native Americans (King Phillip’s War, 1675 – 1676)

• Metacom known as King Phillip

• Son of Massasoit (an ally of the Pilgrims)

• Attempted to form an Indian alliance against English

• Over 50 towns in English settlements were attacked and burned

Native Americans (King Phillip’s War, 1675 – 1678)

• English retaliated by destroying stores of food and burned down villages

• English formed alliances with other Indians tribes (Mohawks)

• Metacom was killed and Indians were defeated • Effectively ended Indian resistance in New England

which meant expansion without resistance• Indian women and children were sold into slavery

King Phillip’s War (Aftermath; 1678-1690)

• Crisis of religion in Puritan society • Won the war; God is on our side• We must be ever vigilant for evil in our

community • Look out for the devil in our homes and towns • Puritans now fearful of everything that is odd

Salem, Massachusetts

• Located in the northern region of New England Colony

• By 1690, 2nd largest port in the region • The area of Salem was made up of two

settlements • Salem Village and Salem Town • Salem Town being the more wealthy – port

and farm land

Colonizing New England (1620 – 1674)

The Geography of Witchcraft: Salem Village, 1692

Witchcraft: Background

• Similar to most Europeans, Colonists believed in wizards and witchery

• Before 1690s there had been some witchcraft accusations but none of importance

• Witchcraft hysteria grew in Salem (1692)

Salem Witch Trials (1692)

• In April, several girls began to act strangely

• All trails led to Tituba, an African slave, and two others were accused of witchcraft; accusations began to grow

• Over 300 were accused of witchcraft and 20 were executed

• 2 dogs were executed

Salem Witch Trials (1692)

• If accused –1. accusation atomically meant guilty verdict2. Guilty verdict meant execution 3. To avoid execution, a confession was needed

Salem Witch Trials (How could this happen?)

• If one was to look at the map of Salem most accusations took place in Salem Village

• Social Class/Income – Accusers tended to be from Salem Village; a poorer region

• Puritan’s goal was to be “A City Upon a Hill” - Dissenters had previously been dealt with

harshly - Witches interfered with success of Puritans

Goals of Puritan Settlers

• Establish a religious utopia dedicated to the teachings of Christianity

• To be successful, ALL would have to work together

• If they succeeded, they would be a model for the colonies. If they failed they would bring shame to themselves and to God

Review

• Religion was an important factor for settlement in New England colonies

• Puritan’s Goals: City Upon a Hill (model for others)

• Native Americans continued to resist expansion in the New England area until King Phillip’s War