Models of Settlement: English Colonial Societies,

1590-1710 Chapter 2

New England Chapter 2-2

Plymouth Plantation • The “Puritans” believed that the Church of England needed further reforms to

distance it from the Catholic Church.

• Separatists fled to Holland for greater religious toleration; but, the affluent culture of the Dutch Republic led many astray. To escape temptation, a group of separatists returned to England before setting out for the New World.

• The Puritan Pilgrims arrived in the Mayflower at Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1620, where they formed the Mayflower Compact set to the task of establishing a community based on Protestant purity where religious dissent was often punished with banishment.

• Unlike Virginia, the Native populations of New England had already been decimated by disease - virtually emptied of its native peoples.

• A native named Squanto, who had formerly been in captivity in England, proved an important ally for the New England inhabitants – teaching them to hunt and farm in the wilderness.

Jan Steen “The Topsy-Turvy World : Corruption versus Piety,” c 1610

A Godly Commonwealth

• Reforms to the Anglican Church by Charles I of England moved the church further from Puritan doctrine. As a result, more Puritans fled England to join the Plymouth colony.

• Leaders of the Plymouth colony hoped to establish a Colony that would be “an example of true reformation that would guide others toward this holy ideal”

• Puritan settlers built towns and included middle-class families and workers who had knowledge of farming and building practices, unlike many settlers of the Chesapeake. When towns grew too large to remain small and cohesive, new towns were formed.

• Patriarchical authority, sobriety, strong work ethic, and deference to religious leaders were cornerstones of life in New England.

“The Vindication of Christmas,” 1652

Challenges to Puritan Orthodoxy • Massachusetts sought to enforce orthodoxy through its laws, the layout of its

towns, and the messages preached by clergy. Despite these efforts, debates broke out about religious and civil doctrine in the colony.

• In 1635, minister Roger Williams advocated for separation of church and state and against the seizure of Native American lands. Williams fled before he could be arrested, purchased land from the Narragansett Indians and established Rhode Island obtaining an official charter in 1644.

• In 1637, Anne Hutchinson was charged with violating the governance of religious leaders for leading prayer groups and questioning the purity of the ruling elite. Hutchinson was banished from the colony and her and her followers settled on Long Island in New Amsterdam.

• As a result of the English Civil War 1642-1649; Puritans took control of England’s government. Another group of separatists emerged: Quakers believed each individual possessed a divine spark and there was no need for a clergy.

“The Ranters Declaration,” 1650

Expansion and Conflict

• Life in New England was healthier and the gender ratio more balanced – As a result, the population of New England was more stable and grew more rapidly.

• As population expanded rapidly through further European immigration and natural increase, the settlers needed more land. In response they settled new towns such as New Haven, Connecticut and Hartford, Connecticut.

• As Puritan settlements expanded into two areas, it sparked conflict with native tribes in the region. The Pequot War (1634-1638) forever altered the relationship between New England’s settlers an their native neighbors.

“The Pequot Wars,” 1632

Questions:

• Why were the English reformers called Puritans?

• Why did John Winthrop describe New England as “a city upon a hill?”

• How did dissent among the Puritans threaten the New England colonies?

• Why did the Puritans oppose religious toleration?