New England Colonies

•Massachusetts •Rhode Island •Connecticut •New Hampshire

The two main groups

Pilgrims (Plymouth) and Puritans (Massachusetts Bay) settled for religious freedom

Mayflower Compact• An agreement signed in 1620

by the Pilgrims in Plymouth, MA

• A social contract that established a self governing colony based on rule by the People (majority rules)

-Thomas Hooker = founder-Hooker – “The Father of American

Democracy”-Believing in the principle of equality for all mankind. He favored the vote for men regardless of religion or property.

- He believed the government is based on the rights of individual citizens

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

• 1st written constitution in America (written by Hooker)– It described the organization of

Representative government in detail – Allowed more men to vote (non church

members)– Made the CT government

more democratic

-Roger Williams = founder- He dissented from the Puritans in Massachusetts. He supported the the separation of church and state.- Religious Toleration – practice your religion freely

Anne Hutchinson- Questioned the

religious authority of the colony’s ministers

- Claimed God spoke directly to her

- She was exiled from Massachusetts and went to Rhode Island

Geographic Characteristics

• Rocky soil• Cold climate (long winters!)

Economy (Industry)• Fishing, shipbuilding

(lumber), fur trading, small businesses (mills)

• Due to the geography, farming was not profitable in New England. The colonists only grew enough for their family with little left over to sell (subsistence farming)