I am relatively new to writing essays, and I always look for room to get better at writing. On this essay, I recieved a 4/5. I know that is sad, but that is pretty much what the whole class got. A conclusion was not necessary and I realize that the last paragraph belongs up top. So please give me some helpful hints/tips that would help me. I really appreciate anybody who reads this all.

Describe the irony of freedom in colonial America.

The stage was set for English to immigrate to a new land with democratic practices and boundless economic opportunities. The pilgrims, who wanted to separate the church and state, left England for religions freedom and landed in Plymouth. The Mayflower Compact was formed to create a self-governing, free society in which the people would vote for the benefit of society. The Great Migration resulted in many Puritans settling in Massachusetts Bay and the West Indies for religious and economic freedom. Despite these claims of opportunities in colonial America, the goal of freedom was not completely established for the settlers.

Religion played a major role in the way of life for Puritans. In order to keep the central focus of life of Puritanism, certain freedoms had to be taken away, including religious freedom. The Puritans immigrated to America because they wanted toleration, yet they themselves did not establish this in the Massachusetts Bay colony. In fact, many people were executed for not following this way of like, like the Salem Witch Trials in 1692.

Furthermore, the government of the Puritans was extremely selective. Only the visible saints were part of the church and only rich, white landowners could vote for office. It was only when the Puritan population started believing less in the religion that the Half-Way Covenant was ordered to give partial membership to men.

In the Chesapeake Bay and southern colonies, the claims of freedom were also denied. The whites’ themselves employed themselves in the African Slave Trade and gained a huge monopoly on the slaves. In some cities, there were twice as many blacks as there were whites. These blacks, as exemplified in the Barbodas Slave Code, were denied even the simplest human rights. There chances in gaining freedom in America were slim to none at best. Not only were their liberal rights taken away, but there birth rights also. The indentured servants had no chance of freedom as well in colonial America. They were pushed into the back country. This resulted in Bacon’s Rebellion, which was a fight for indentured servants right to gain land and freedom.

In this same region the planters held the most wealth in society and hired smaller yeomen to work for them. Over time, a gap between the planter aristocracy and slaves formed, which was contrary to the original goals of New World settlers. In Virginia, the “first families of Virginia” almost completely dominated the House of Burgesses, which was originally created for democratic purposes. The settlers attempt to crate a free society completely backfired onto them.

For most Chesapeake settlers, there was no goal of freedom. The settlers were established there for economic purposes and to gain wealth. The settlers were not interested in freedom, only in cultivating and selling tobacco.

Despite the irony of freedom in the colonies, there were some successful attempts to a free society. For one, Pennsylvania, created by William Penn, was created as a religious haven for Quakers Penn went as far to suggest the name “Sylvania” in order to give the state a more liberal feel to it> Another example is the Toleration Act of 1649, which granted religious toleration to Catholics in Maryland. This was one of the most successful attempts in creating a free society. In addition, Anne Hutchinson and Robert Williams both fled in order to be more free, and Williams went as far as to form an egalitarian society in Rhode Island. In this colony, complete religious freedom was established for all.

The Spanish conquistadors were against the idea of creating a free society in the New World. They were mostly interested in gold, spreading religion, and advancing technology. People like Hernan Cortes conquered many and rose to the top in wealth. Indians were actually enslaved in this area. These people did not care to establish a “new World” with complete religious freedom.

Thanks again :)