New Englanders Divided

2.5

Puritan Values

• Emphasis on conformity

• Intolerance to individualism & dissent

• Banishment

Roger Williams

• Critique of status quo– w/draw from Church of England– Separate church & state– Follow conscience/ faith is voluntary– Puritans not God’s special favorites

• Aim to strengthen religion

• 1636 Banished

Rhode Island

• Beacon of religious freedom– No est. church– No religious qual. for voting– No mandatory church attendance

• Safe for Dissenters, Jews, Catholics• Government more democratic

– Assembly twice a year– Gov. yearly– Frequent town meetings

Connecticut

• Religious disagreements in MA• 1636 minister T. Hooker est. Hartford

– Fundamental Orders of 1639– gov’t modeled on MA– Didn’t have to be church member to vote

• 1638 New Haven– Even closer connection between church &

state

• 1662 royal charter combined the two

Ann Hutchinson

• Challenge to Puritan leadership in MA– Church wrong to focus on attendance &

behavior “saints”

• Challenge to gender norms

• Trial & Banishment (1637)– Divine revelation

• Quakers “inner light”– Persecution (1660)

Balance of Power

• Buy land or take land?

• Settlers have numbers

• Indians lack central govt

View of Indians

• Savages

• Dangerous temptation

• Obstacle to be removed

Pequot War 1637

• Several CT settlers killed

• Troops from CT & MA w/ Narragansetts attack village at Mystic

• Set it on fire / kill those fleeing– 500 men, women, children

• Last months

• Pequot exterminated

Results

• CT River Valley opened to settlement

• Indians intimidated

• Affirmation of Puritan sense of mission