3.2 | The New England Colonies

While the Chesapeake and Southern Colonies were built on cash crops and slavery, the New England Colonies (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire) were founded for religious reasons, small-scale farming, and trade.

1. Pilgrims and the Plymouth Colony (1620)

  • Pilgrims (Separatists): Wanted to break away from the Church of England.

  • Sailed on the Mayflower and signed the Mayflower Compact:

    • First example of self-government in the colonies.

    • Agreed to make decisions based on majority rule.

  • Harsh winters killed nearly half, but Squanto & Wampanoag helped them survive.

2. Puritans and the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630)

  • Puritans: Wanted to purify the Church of England, not break away.

  • Led by John Winthrop, who envisioned a "City Upon a Hill" (a religious example for the world).

  • Strict religious society with little tolerance for dissent.

3. Dissenters and the Founding of Other Colonies

Not everyone agreed with Puritan rule, leading to new colonies:

  • Rhode Island (Roger Williams, 1636):

    • Believed in separation of church and state and religious tolerance.

    • Welcomed all faiths, including Jews and Quakers.

  • Connecticut (Thomas Hooker, 1636):

    • Wanted more democratic government.

    • Created the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the first written constitution in America.

  • New Hampshire:

    • Originally part of Massachusetts, became its own colony in 1679.

4. Society and Economy in New England

  • Economy:

    • Small-scale farming, fishing, shipbuilding, and trade (not plantations).

    • The Atlantic Trade linked New England with Africa, the Caribbean, and England.

  • Education:

    • Harvard (1636) was founded to train ministers.

    • Towns with 50+ families required a school (early focus on literacy).

5. Conflict with Native Americans

  • Pequot War (1636-1638): New England settlers wiped out the Pequot tribe.

  • King Philip’s War (1675-1676):

    • Metacom (King Philip) led a major Native resistance against Puritan expansion.

    • Deadliest war in colonial New England.

    • English victory led to the end of major Native resistance in the region.

Big Idea:

The New England Colonies were shaped by religion, self-government, and a diverse economy, but their strict religious rule and expansion led to conflict and new colonies.