Massachusetts Bay Colony

By Hannah&

EthanPlymouth Founded in: 1620

Massachusetts Bay Colony Founded in: 1630

Colony Founded By: Pilgrims and Puritans

The Colony’s First People

The Massachusetts Bay Colony was home to many Native American tribes for thousands of years before the settlers from England traveled to North America. In Southern Massachusetts lived the Massachuset, the Nauset, and the Wampanoag. These were the largest Native American tribes in Massachusetts. Wampanoag villages were ruled by leaders called sachems. The Wampanoag leader was the most powerful Sachem and leader in Massachusetts. Wampanoag men hunted deer, wolves, bears, and other small animals. Wampanoag moved to the Atlantic Coast in the Spring. When the English settlers got there over half of the Wampanoag were dead. In the early 1600’s, after the Wampanoag left, Europeans explored the Massachusetts area. While the English settlers were in Massachusetts with the Wampanoag, the Wampanoag taught the English how to hunt, fish, plant, and even speak their language.

The Colony’s Early SettlersIn the early 1600’s English law forced the

people of England to belong to the Church of England. This was the reason why the Pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower and the Speedwell, but the Speedwell had a leak, so they all piled onto the Mayflower, and set sail for Virginia. Then there course was changed by the weather, which caused them to end up in Massachusetts. This all started in 1620, and it took six months, They finally landed in Massachusetts, right before winter safely. After they had settled in, the weather conditions were worse than they had thought. They were not prepared for all of the snow. During this bad winter, one half of the Pilgrims had died from lack of food, and illnesses. In the March of 1621, a Native American named Squanto came to Plymouth and helped the Pilgrims.

Community and ReligionThe Massachusetts colonists

lived by Puritan faith and religion. The Puritan’s lived by strict rules of the church. Everyone went to church on Sunday and if children fell asleep, then they would get whipped in the head with a stick. Another rule for the men was that they could not have long hair or kiss their wives in public. A rule for the women was that they could not wear lace.–Next Page

Continued Community and Religion

Puritans did not allow different beliefs, and if you were one of these people, then you would be forced to leave Massachusetts. People were fined or whipped for breaking the rules. Puritans still had fun, they combined work with pleasure. Sometimes they had parties for building barns or houses. Some Massachusetts colonist disagreed with the Puritan way of life.

Work and TradeThe first settlers were

mostly farmers, and grew fruits and veggies, plus had cattle to feed their family. The people in Massachusetts knew that they were part of what was the New England Colony. Farming was difficult in the area because the soil was full of sand near the bay. In the mid 1600’s people began looking for work other than farming. They started fishing and they caught a lot of cod. That is how Cape Cod got it’s name. After they caught some fish, they then would sell it to traders, who then sold it to the men and women of England. As this went on the traders became very wealthy. Around the 1640’s Massachusetts began mining. They mining for medals around the Saugus and the Taunton rivers. Colonists used the medals, that they found, to make artifacts.

More Work and Trade

In the middle of the 1600’s, when people started to trade, a pattern started to emerge in the colonies. People in the colonies got molasses from the Caribbean Islands called the West Indies. They made rum from molasses. Rum was traded for slaves in Africa, they used the triangular trade route to do all of this trading. In the early 1700’s, Boston, Massachusetts was New England’s business center. Merchants and traders were always around the business center. Ship building had become a major industry in the New England area, too.

Colony’s Exports

The colonies exports wool, ships, iron, fish, and even timber products.

Life in the Colony

The people in the colonies spent most of their time working on the farm. The one day they got off was Sunday which was the day the day they went to church. They often lived in one room houses with large fireplaces, and low ceilings. They used the fireplace for cooking and for heating the houses in the cold winter. During this time, glass was very expensive, so most houses did not have windows. The days for the colonists were hard, because they were filled with hard work.

More Life in the Colony

Men in the colonies had to clear forest for farming and homes. Women spun plants called flax into linen/clothes, they also cooked, cleaned, and cared for children. Girls would cook, clean and sew at an early age. Boys helped their fathers farm and care for animals. Puritans faith came from reading the bible. In 1647 the government passed school law that required towns with 50+ families to have a school. Schools were paid for in taxes. This year schools were in the 13 colonies.

Becoming A State

Massachusetts colonists governed themselves for 54 years. In 1684, King James ll made Massachusetts a royal colony. The colonists wanted to have independence. In the 1700s, Britain fought France for land in North America. The French and the Indians fought together against the British, which was known as the French and Indian War. The British ended up winning in 1763. Britain then started to tax the colonists to pay for war. They also taxed them for tea, paper, and sugar.

Statehood and Number StateIn February 6, 1788 Massachusetts became a colony. It was the 6th Colony founded.

5 Fun FactsMassachusetts is known as the “Bay State”The Wampanoag lived near the Massachusetts Bay area.At first Massachusetts was where it is now and in the area of Maine.In Massachusetts girls and boys went to school together.Massachusetts was part of the New England colonies.

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