New England Colonies and Puritanism

Puritanism: Core Beliefs and Influences

• Puritans arrived in Plymouth and settled much of New England and were the driving force behind colonization.

• Six core religious beliefs distinguished Puritans from much of mainstream religion in England:

  • Omnipotence of God: God is always present everywhere at all times.
  • Term to write on the board: Omnipotence.
  • Original sin: The Genesis account (Adam and Eve) teaches that sin is inherited from generation to generation; sin nature is passed down.
  • Predestination: God knows before birth whether a person is destined for heaven or hell; it is predetermined.
  • Covenant of grace, or election: Certain people have been hand-selected to receive the grace of God.
  • Calling: Because some are predestined to receive grace, God will call those people to him; others are not called.
  • Centrality of Scripture: Scriptures are central in all decisions; governance and daily life are guided by scripture.

• Puritans are a group within Calvinism. Within Calvinism, three groups are relevant to colonial formation:

  • Separatists: Believed in complete separation from the broader English religious society; local church has full control; no formal ties between church and state.
  • Non-separatists: Accept some church-state connection; congregations self-governing; limited or no formal church-state ties (context-specific).
  • Presbyterians: Believed in an established church led by a body of elected leaders rather than a single priest; church leadership elected by members.

• Why this matters for colonization: Whether a colony’s settlers were separatists, non-separatists, or Presbyterians affected how the colony governed itself and how church and state were related.

Plymouth Colony (1620)

• Established in $1620$ by Separatists who sought to separate from the Church of England and from state control.

• Path to the New World:

  • Left England for Holland due to state control over the church.
  • Lived in Holland for several years but disliked Dutch language/culture and concerns about English children losing Puritan identity.
  • Traveled to the New World on the Mayflower; landed farther north than planned.

• Governing framework:

  • Mayflower Compact: A governing document/pact signed by all $41$ male adults on the Mayflower to establish rules for governing the new colony.

• Early challenges and growth:

  • First winter was devastating (cold and famine).
  • From the following spring, the colony began to prosper.

• Timeline note:

  • Plymouth existed as a colony for $71$ years and merged with the Massachusetts Bay Colony in $1691$.

• Context connection: The Plymouth venture illustrates the Separatists’ desire for religiously guided governance and the use of a social contract to regulate a new community.

Massachusetts Bay Colony (1629)

• Established in $1629$ by Non-separatists who had a royal charter (king’s charter) to form a colony and were recognized by England.

• Size and planning:

  • Much larger and more planned than Plymouth; had financial backing and a broader scenario for colonization.
  • Goal: Establish a biblical commonwealth where society is shaped by Puritan religious principles.

• Government and voting:

  • Voting rights were limited: only members of the Church of England (the Puritan church in practice) could vote; about $20\%$ of adult males could vote.
  • All adult men were taxed regardless of church membership.
  • A rule limited power concentration: church leaders could not hold public office, ensuring separation between church leadership and civil leadership to avoid absolutist control.

• Relationship between church and state:

  • The colony reflected a close, if not formal, alliance between church and civil governance, consistent with a Puritan “biblical commonwealth.”

• Significance: Massachusetts Bay represents a more centralized, charter-backed attempt at religiously guided governance, in contrast to Plymouth’s separatist approach.

Rhode Island Colony (1636)

• Founded in $1636$ by Roger Williams, who had left Massachusetts Bay due to religious differences.

• Core principle: Complete religious freedom and tolerance for diverse beliefs (not limited to Protestant sects).

• Religious liberty and inclusion:

  • Rhode Island opened its doors to Catholics and Jews, in contrast to many other colonies.

• Governance and suffrage:

  • Simple man’s suffrage: every male adult had the right to vote, regardless of church membership or property ownership.

• Social and cultural role:

  • Attracted other religious dissenters and became known as the traditional home of the otherwise minded.
  • Notable dissenters mentioned in the transcript: Anne Hutchinson, who is linked to dissent within Rhode Island's milieu (the transcript also notes a link to the Salem Witch Trials, though historical connections are more nuanced).

• Significance: Rhode Island stands out as the most religiously tolerant colony in this period and serves as a counterexample to the religiously exclusive colonies further north.

Connecticut Colony (1635; 1639 governance)

• Early establishment: Hartford (founded in $1635$); New Haven (founded in $1638$) on the coast with aims of building a prosperous seaport for trade with Europe.

• Official governance:

  • The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut were drafted in $1639$ and became a foundational document for the colony’s governance and later influenced its state constitution.

• Voting rights:

  • Voting was limited to adult males with a certain level of wealth/landholding (economic qualifications rather than purely religious ones).

• Relationship with England:

  • The colony gained recognition from England but later fell out of favor because several settlers (judges) who had condemned the king’s father to death had fled to Connecticut, affecting relations with the Crown and the colony’s prospects as a prosperous seaport.

• Significance: Connecticut used a more economic-based qualification for voting and governance, illustrating variation among New England colonies in how political power was allocated.

New Hampshire (1641–1679; crown colony)

• Geographic and political status:

  • Initially, New Hampshire was part of Massachusetts Bay Colony; in $1641$ it was annexed by Massachusetts and governed as part of the colony.
  • In $1679$, it became a separate colony, with governance under the Crown rather than as a part of Massachusetts.

• Administrative trajectory:

  • It existed as a separate royal crown colony starting after it was separated from Massachusetts.

• Significance: New Hampshire’s status demonstrates the Crown’s ongoing reconfiguration of colonial boundaries and governance structures in New England.

Common Characteristics of New England Colonies (summary)

• Puritan influence: Except for Rhode Island, Puritanism (separatist or non-separatist) was the driving force behind colonization.
• Economic base and agriculture:
  • Small family farms due to rocky, shallow soil; no large plantations as in the Southern Colonies.
• Geography and industries:
  • All colonies along the seacoast; fishing, shipbuilding, and timber (timber industry) were important economic activities.
• Land and resources:
  • Abundant trees and timber; forests supported construction and shipbuilding.
• Governance and autonomy:
  • Emphasis on self-government and local governance, with varying degrees of church involvement in political life.
• Ethnic and linguistic composition:
  • Among the least ethnically diverse regions; nearly all English-speaking (Rhode Island was an exception in religious tolerance but still primarily English-speaking); CT has some Dutch influence in early years.

Connections to the Larger Narrative

• The lectures connect colonization to broader religious and political debates in England, including:
  • The influence of Calvinism and Puritanism on colonial governance and social order.
  • The role of joint-stock companies (e.g., the Virginia Company) as precursors to organized settlement and the economic motivations behind colonization.
  • The use of charters and royal backing (Massachusetts Bay) versus independent religiously guided settlement (Plymouth).
  • Long-term implications for church-state relations and the development of political institutions in what would become the United States.

Examples, Metaphors, and Practical Implications Shared

• The Mayflower Compact as a social contract in a wilderness setting; a practical approach to governance when relocating to unknown lands.
• The distinction between separatist and non-separatist approaches highlights how religious beliefs translated into political organization and rights (e.g., who could vote, who could hold office).
• Rhode Island’s religious tolerance illustrates early experimentation with pluralism and the challenges of balancing religious liberty with social cohesion.

Key Dates and Figures (for quick reference)

• Plymouth Colony established: $1620$
• Plymouth merges with Massachusetts Bay: $1691$
• Massachusetts Bay Colony established: $1629$
• Connecticut (Hartford): $1635$; New Haven: $1638$; Fundamental Orders: $1639$
• Rhode Island founded: $1636$
• New Hampshire annexed by Massachusetts Bay: $1641$; Separate Crown Colony: $1679$
• Puritan beliefs and Calvinist categories:
  • Separatists: separation of church and state; local church control
  • Non-separatists: church-state connections; self-governing congregations
  • Presbyterians: established church led by elected leaders
• Notable individuals: Roger Williams (Rhode Island founder); Anne Hutchinson (associated with dissenters and mentioned in the context of Rhode Island’s dissenting tradition)

Video and Class Structure Mentioned in the Transcript

• Today’s session focused on the New England colonies with a brief lecture followed by a 25–30 minute video about the region’s colonies.
• Class activity includes a reading portion and a subsequent activity related to primary sources to be completed in the next session.
• A brief aside about photo sessions during lunch was noted in the transcript but is not core content for the study notes.