Early American Settlements: New England vs. Chesapeake

Initial Motivations for Migration:
- Many people associate early American settlement, particularly in the $1600s$ , with a quest for religious freedom.
- This perception largely stems from the experiences of New England settlers.
Contrasting Colonial Experiments:
- Jamestown (Chesapeake – founded in $1607$ ):
  - Primary motivation: Seeking wealth.
  - Achieved wealth through the exploitation of indentured servants and later African American slaves.
  - Main cash crop: Tobacco.
  - Not initially known for religious freedom; rather, for economic exploitation.
- Plymouth (New England – founded in $1620$ ):
  - Primary motivation: Seeking religious freedom.
  - Colonists (Pilgrims and later Puritans) were driven by deeply held religious beliefs.
John Smith's Influence and Disease:
- John Smith explored the coast from Virginia northward, stopping along the way.
- His voyages are attributed by some accounts to spreading diseases among Native American populations.
- Within a decade of Smith's exploration, approximately $90\%$ of coastal Native Americans were severely affected by these epidemics.

The Pilgrims and Plymouth Colony

First Permanent New England Settlement:
- Established in $1620$ at Plymouth.
- The first $102$ migrants initially landed at Cape Cod before settling in Plymouth later that year.
Meaning of "Pilgrim":
- The term "pilgrim" itself signifies a person on a religious journey, often to a holy place or in search of a religious motive in a new location.
- Analogy: Chaucer's Canterbury Tales depicts individuals on a religious pilgrimage.
Religious Background: The Church of England:
- Henry VIII's Break from Rome: Established the Church of England in the $1530s$ , making it a Protestant state church.
- Elizabethan Settlement: Under Elizabeth I, the church remained Protestant but retained many aspects of Roman Catholicism.
- Pilgrim Objections (Biblical Literalists):
  - Episcopal Hierarchies: Objected to church ranks like archbishops and bishops, as they found no biblical basis for them.
  - Ecclesiastical Vestments: Disapproved of the ceremonial robes worn by clergy.
  - Sign of the Cross: Objected to clergy making the sign of the cross during baptism, viewing it as a Catholic tradition.
- Core Belief: Pilgrims felt the Church of England had not been sufficiently "cleansed" or "purified" from its Catholic past and wanted a much more Protestant church.
Two Paths of Reform:
- Separatists (Pilgrims):
  - Believed the Church of England was beyond repair; chose to leave and start their own separate church.
  - (Analogy: A student leaving a university if they are completely fed up and believe it's beyond repair).
- Non-Separatists (Puritans):
  - Believed the church could be reformed from within; chose to stay and "purify" the institution.
  - (Analogy: A student staying at a university to work for internal change and purify it).
Pilgrim Migration to Holland:
- Due to persecution in England for separating from the Church of England, they left England in $1608$ for Holland (The Netherlands).
- Lived there for approximately $12$ years.
- Concerns in Holland: Feared losing their English identity (children speaking Dutch), and potential conscription into the Dutch army.
- Decision to Move to the New World: Petitioned the Virginia Company for a charter to land in Virginia to maintain their English culture in an English colony.
The Mayflower Voyage:
- Small Numbers: The Separatists were a small group, not enough to fill a ship.
- "Strangers": They opened their journey to "strangers" – non-Separatists motivated by other reasons to go to the New World.
- Ships: The original ship, the Speedwell, leaked badly. All passengers transferred to the Mayflower.
- Landing Location: Supposed to go to Virginia but landed hundreds of miles north in Massachusetts (Cape Cod then Plymouth) in $1620$ .
- Reasons for Massachusetts Landing: Possibly blown off course by a storm, but also advantageous for Separatists to be outside the Virginia Company's domain and away from the Anglican Church established in Virginia.
The Mayflower Compact ( $1620$ ):
- Necessity: Landing outside their charter's designated area prompted questions about governance among the "strangers."
- Document: Signed by $41$ men (a clear majority) before landing.
- Purpose: Established a "civil body politic" – a temporary self-government for the colony.
- Significance:
  - Established a representational form of government.
  - Leaders (a governor) were elected.
  - Decisions were made in town meetings.
  - The government rested on the "consent of the governed" (people had a say in their governors).
  - Provided an important constitutional precedent for future American governance, similar to the Virginia House of Burgesses ( $1619$ ).
Early Plymouth Challenges: The "Starving Time":
- The settlers arrived in November $1620$ and faced a grueling winter.
- Only half of the Mayflower passengers (approximates $50\%$ ) survived the first winter.
- Native American Assistance: Like Jamestown, Plymouth benefited from Native American generosity.
  - Samoset and Squanto: Both spoke English, having previously traveled to England (Squanto twice, even visiting London).
  - This coincidence provided a crucial "ready-made translator" and helped with communication issues.
  - Squanto also served as a major source of information about the new environment.
The First Thanksgiving ( $1621$ ):
- Conditions improved significantly after the first winter (unlike Jamestown, which took many years).
- Pilgrims and Native Americans gathered for a common meal during harvest time.
- Historical Nuances (Eyewitness Account):
  - Not called "Thanksgiving" at the time, nor was it repeated annually.
  - Four men went "fowling" (hunting) and killed enough fowl for almost a week.
  - Exercised their arms (shot guns) in the presence of Native Americans, including King Massasoit and $90$ men. This was a display of technological superiority and potentially an act of intimidation.
  - Absence of women: Only four Pilgrim women were left alive, and Native American accounts didn't mention women attending; men likely cooked.
  - Native Americans contributed by killing five deer.
  - The event demonstrated more complex power dynamics than a simple friendly gathering.
- Long-Term Condition: Although not always as plentiful, the settlers expressed gratitude for God's goodness and wished others could partake in their plenty.
Life in Plymouth Colony:
- Remained a "quiet and sleepy place."
- Residents focused on farming, fishing, and Separatist worship.
Thomas Morton and Merrymount:
- Context: Thomas Morton, one of the "strangers" (not a Pilgrim), lived separately at a place he called Merrymount.
- Controversial Activities: He gathered about $30$ single young men and erected a huge, $80$ -foot "Maypole."
  - Maypole traditions in England were springtime rituals with overtones of fertility and sexuality.
  - Morton placed antler horns (traditional symbols of sexuality) at the top of the pole.
  - The Pilgrims were enraged, believing Morton was inviting Native American women for dancing, drinking, and sexual activities.
- Pilgrim Response: Plymouth sent Miles Standish and a small militia to chop down the Maypole.
- Morton's Writings: Morton later wrote books mocking the Pilgrims, stating he preferred the company of the "infidels" (Native Americans) to the "godly" (Pilgrims).

The Puritans and Massachusetts Bay Colony

** Puritan Identity:**
- Founded nine years after Plymouth (around $1629$ ).
- Non-Separatists: Unlike the Pilgrims, Puritans did not separate from the Church of England; they sought to "purify" it from within.
- Shared with Separatists the belief that the church needed reform from Catholic rituals and moral laxity.
Practical Divinity:
- A deeply religious, spiritual lifestyle focused on constant self-examination for spirituality and monitoring neighbors for any moral laxity.
- Practices:
  - No work on Sundays (keeping the Sabbath); attended church morning and afternoon.
  - Encouraged prayer and Bible reading (biblical literalists).
  - Extolled high moral conduct.
- Stereotypes vs. Reality:
  - Common imagination: dour, serious, stern, wearing black, legalistic, inflexible (e.g., "puritanical").
  - Reality:
    - Drank alcohol (no issue with alcohol itself, only drunkenness); made their own beer and liquor.
    - No issue with sex within marriage; had large families.
    - Disapproved of other sexual practices they considered taboo.
  - Core Trait: Spiritual matters and religious questions were far more important to Puritans than to many others in England.
Political Conditions in England (Leading to the Great Migration):
- King Charles I: Supported Roman Catholicism publicly, was married to a Catholic, and allowed Catholic services at court.
- Persecution of Puritans: The King and others openly persecuted Puritans.
- Archbishop William Laud ( $1633$ ): Appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, Laud worked to restore many Catholic practices and silence Puritan critics.
- Puritan Decision to Leave: By $1629$ , many Puritans gave up on reforming the Church of England internally due to intense opposition.
- Fear of Divine Judgment: They feared God would judge England (with plagues, storms, lightning) for not adhering to Protestantism. This imminent judgment prompted their departure.
- Goal: To conduct their reform of the Church of England from across the Atlantic, believing they were still part of the church but removed from its corruption.
Massachusetts Bay Company ( $1629$ ):
- Joint-Stock Company: Similar to the Virginia Company.
- Key Distinction: Its charter did not specify that company meetings had to be held in England.
- Increased Freedom: Colonists brought the charter with them, establishing the company offices in Boston. This geographical distance from London gave them significantly more freedom from royal oversight.
The Great Migration to New England:
- Leadership: In March $1630$ , $17$ ships (a huge number, compared to Virginia's initial three ships) led by John Winthrop (a minor landowner and lawyer) founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
- Period: The "Great Migration" occurred between $1629$ and $1643$ .
- Scale: Nearly $9,000$ immigrants came to New England on over $200$ ships during this period.
- Other Destinations: While most went to New England, Puritans also settled in Virginia, Maryland, and Caribbean islands (e.g., Bahamas, Providence Island, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Bermuda).
Characteristics of Puritan Migrants:
- Wealthier: Generally wealthier than Chesapeake settlers.
- Family Migration: Came in nuclear, free families (unlike the predominantly single men and indentured servants in the Chesapeake).
  - Building Block: The patriarchal and godly family (husband, wife, children, indentured servants) was the central unit of the Puritan experiment.
  - Balanced Sex Ratios: This emphasis on family migration led to more balanced male-to-female ratios, facilitating marriage.
- **Longer Life Expectancy:
  - Puritans in New England had significantly longer life expectancies (averaging $70s$ to $80s$ , some reaching $100$ ) compared to the Chesapeake (average $43$ ).
  - Reasons: Colder climate (fewer diseases spreading slowly), different disease environment, and, most importantly, purer drinking water.
  - Historical Significance: Puritan New England was likely the first society in recorded history where individuals could reasonably expect to see their grandchildren.
Puritan Belief System: The Covenant and "City on a Hill":
- Covenant with God: Puritans strongly believed God had formed a special covenant (agreement) with them.
- John Winthrop's Arabella Sermon: Preached before landing in New England, Winthrop articulated their mission.
  - Unity: Urged the settlers to "knit together as one body" and work together.
  - Divine Ratification: Their safe arrival in the New World was seen as God's ratification of their agreement.
  - Goals: Create a godly society, worship purely, live according to scripture, and reform the church.
  - "City on a Hill": Most importantly, they aimed to create an example (a "city on a hill") that would be visible and admirable to the world, particularly to those back in England.
  - Impact on England: Believed their successful, pure society would inspire people in England to change their ways and purify the church there.
  - Consequences of Adherence: If they upheld the covenant, God would bless them with peace and prosperity.
  - Consequences of Failure: If they failed (fought, didn't reform, deviated from scripture), God would judge them negatively.
- World-Changing Ambition: Puritans came to Massachusetts Bay with a profound desire to change the world, believing God was on their side.
Puritan Religious and Political Structures:
- Not a Theocracy: New England was never strictly ruled by ministers or clergy; the state and church were separate but complementary.
- Puritan Meeting Houses (Churches):
  - Architecture: Featured prominent, elevated pulpits with "preaching boards" (acoustical devices to project sound) and windows for light to read texts.
  - Proclamation of the Bible: The pulpit's prominence over the altar (which was central in Roman Catholic churches) signified that the primary function of Protestant worship was the proclamation and preaching of the Bible.
  - "Auditory Boxes": Churches were designed for listening to long sermons from hard, stiff-backed wooden pews.
  - Congregational Pattern: Each church was autonomous and independent, calling its own minister and overseeing its own affairs.