I. Introduction
- Distinctive differences in the process of colonization between northern and southern colonies shaped each region’s culture
II. The Protestant Reformation Produces Puritanism
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Calvinism evolved from the Protestant reformation and became the dominant theology for the northern colonies
- God is all powerful and all knowing; who is going to heaven (elect) and hell has been predestined
- Humans are not God and cannot know if they are among the elect – start looking for signs of conversion/grace. If a person realizes they are among the elect, they are expected to live their life accordingly, be a “visible saint”
- Calvinists in England sought to go further than Henry VIII and actually “purify” their church – connected well with the socially displaced “victims” of economic changes in England, like the woolen districts, who sought order in a now disordered world
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Some Calvinists/Puritans became increasingly selective – suggested that only the “visible saints” should be members of the Church of England. These Separatists would break from the Ch of Eng to prove thier point
- James I was happy to let them do so – just in America
III. The Pilgrims End Their Pilgrimage at Plymouth
- Pilgrims sought a refuge from both religious and cultural harassment – agreed to settle in Virginia
- Sailed with other non-Separatists in 1620, but missed Virginia, ended up squatting in Cape Cod
- All eligible signed the Mayflower Compact, agreement to form a gov’t based on majority-rule
- Difficult winter was followed by a prosperous harvest in 1621
- Colony quickly became stable socially and economically, though small
- William Bradford important governor
- The mixing of Separatists and non-Separtists prevented colony from become the true religious model the Pilgrims intended
IV. The Bay Colony Bible Commonwealth
- Massachusetts Bay founded by more moderate Puritans in 1629, same year Charles I abolished Parliament and began persecuting Puritans
- Began settling in 1630, well-provisioned and populated (1,000 colonizers) and became an outlet for more Puritan migration through the 1640s (~20,000 to Mass Bay, while almost 50,00 migrated to W. Indies)
- Also quickly develop a strong diversified economy and a stable society of like-minded colonists who sought a new community as well as wealth and prosperity
- “City upon a hill” – an model for others – the right blend of faith, work, social structure
V. Building the Bay Colony
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“Democratic” governance a basis for community
- Town meetings – all property holders could have a say
- Colonial government elected – though only Church members (“visible saints” or freemen) could vote, still large proportion (2/5ths) of population than in England
- Government was supposed to enforce the authoritative religious ideas, and impose them on all colonists, including the non-believers. All colonists supported both the gov’t and the Church with taxes
- Congregations could hire/fire ministers, clergy barred from holding political office
- Protestant ethic – celebrated work
- Although recognized physical/wordly desires and needs, Puritans sought to repress indulgence in pleasure – “blue laws” imposed strict social mores
VI. Trouble In The Bible Commonwealth
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Mass Bay was not a homogeneous society – non-believers and other forms of Protestant belief existed in the colony, challenging the authority of both the Congregational Church and gov’t
- Quakers openly challenged Puritan othrodoxy – punished by gov’t
- Anne Hutchinson – antinomianism – the elect had no need to live a pious life – banished for beliefs in 1638
- Roger Williams – a separatist who pushed the moderate Mass. Puritans; sought a firmer separation between church and gov’t – banished for agitation in 1636
VII. The Rhode Island “Sewer”
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Colony est. by banished Williams 1636, chartered 1644 – developed a very liberal organization
- True freedom of religion and toleration
- No compulsory attendance at worship
- No tax supported church
- Broad voting rights (though eventually adopted property qualification)
- Characterized as independent and individualist society
VIII. New England Spreads Out
- Several small settlements throughout New England were established and attracted migrants from Mass as well as England
- Connecticut/Hartford wrote Fundamental Orders (1639), a constitutional document using democratic principles
- New Haven (west of Conn R.) modeled after Mass – forced to merge with Conn in 1662
- Maine & New Hampshire– initially fishing outposts (before Plymouth), peppered by small settlements – NH joined Mass 1641, separated in 1679; Maine joined Mass 1677