Period Two: The New England Colonies

Plymouth:

• The Pilgrims were Separatists and wanted to completely separate from the Church of England
• The Pilgrims were being persecuted and decided to move away from England
• The Pilgrims signed a contract with the Virginia Company to settle in Northern Virginia
• However, they were thrown off course and ended up in Plymouth
• The male heads of households on the Mayflower signed a compact to form a self-governing religious congregation called the Mayflower Compact
• The Pilgrims lived in a (formerly) uninhabited village surrounded by cornfields
• The Pilgrims barely survived the winter and starvation and disease killed half of the original settlers
• The Wampanoag wanted to forge an alliance with the Pilgrims and they provided food and assistance to the settlers
• By 1623, the settlers allied themselves with the Wampanoags and killed the Massachusetts chief and his son. This alliance established Wampanoag dominance in the region

Massachussetts Bay:

• The Puritans were a group of religious dissenters who wanted to purify the Church of England (make it more Calvinistic)
• Puritans wanted to develop their own colony in New England because they believed the English church and government were corrupt. To these Puritans, God was punishing England for its corrupt ways.
• The Puritans envisioned New England as a safe haven from God’s wrath
• They believed that they could become materially and spiritually successful in the colony. This successful colony would act in turn, as a model, an example, that could be followed in England, purifying the English government and Church of England
• The Puritans settled in a cold climate that reduced the spread of disease. Despite the harsh winters, they were able to cultivate sufficient crops to feed themselves and new migrants
• The Puritans shared religious beliefs that helped to forge a unified community where faith guided spiritual and civil decisions
• Political leaders were devout Puritans who were expected to promote a godly society. They determined who got land and served as judges and jury for those accused of crimes or sins
• The administration of the colony was elected by the colonists, and the colony was allowed to self-govern, as long as its laws aligned with those of England
• Women were granted few rights and were granted the same legal status as they had in England
• English colonial courts actively enforced gender roles and women’s subordination
• The fathers held absolute authority over their wives, children, and servants

Rhode Island:

• Roger Williams criticized Puritan leaders for not being sufficiently pure in their beliefs. In addition, Williams argued that not all Puritan leaders were saints; some were destined for damnation.
• He advocated for religious liberty, toleration, and the separation of Church and state
• Williams was banished from Massachusetts. He and his followers settled in Rhode Island
• Rhode Island (originally Providence) welcomed people of different faiths, including Jews, Quakers, Baptists, and other religious minorities
• He also formed alliances with the Narragansetts, the most powerful Native American tribe in the region