Migration to New England
Early American Social History
Term 1, Week 5
Introduction
• New England important because of religious origins, tale
of spiritual re-birth, attempt to create utopia
• New England known to have harsher climate than Va
• Marked differences between New England and earlier
settlements in Va
• 5 main areas of settlement in New England between
1620 and 1638.
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Plymouth 1620
Massachusetts Bay 1630
Connecticut 1634
Rhode Island 1636
New Haven 1638.
Pilgrims 1
• 1608 persecuted Eng separatists left
Scrooby (Notts) for Holland (Leiden)
seeking religious freedoms
• 1620 same group fear resumption of
Spanish/Dutch war, and think the Dutch
too capitalist – seek to voyage to America.
• Unable to get own charter, purchase land
grant off Va Company (most = merchants,
i.e. have money)
Pilgrims 2
• Sept 1620, 102 settlers leave Plymouth on Mayflower,
Nov 1620 sight Cape Cod, far north of original
destination, but still within limits of Va Co. charter.
• Move from Cape Cod to settlement they name Plymouth.
• Not all settlers = separatists, but all join to sign
Mayflower Compact, agreeing to work together for future
of colony.
• Gov William Bradford, good Indian relations with
Massasoit, enables settlement to survive, though 50%
die in first year.
• 3 day feast of thanksgiving celebrated Nov 1621.
Plymouth Plantation
Plymouth
Gov William
Bradford
Puritan Origins
• 1630 new settlement led by John Winthrop (b.1588 to
wealthy East Anglian family), of 700 non-separating
congregationalists.
• Most migrants from East Anglia, affected by decline in
cloth trade, but also lacked strong deferential traditions,
and radical protestant texts came into EA ports from
Germany.
• Disliked lingering Catholic practices in Anglicanism, eg
vestments, Bishops etc.
• Belief that separation of church and state was necessary
‘only the Godly should rule the Godly’
• Yet, committed to ideals of the C of E, therefore try to set
example of behaviour for others to follow
• Image = staid, boring, no fun – but really just trying not to
be sinful.
Puritans in England
• Each congregation independent (hence name),
chose own ministers etc.
• Refuse to accept authority of bishops or any civil
power over religion
• Tolerated, rather than accepted, until
appointment of William Laud as Abp of
Canterbury (1620) – high church, emphasis on
hierarchy, increased investigation and
persecution of dissenters, e.g. ministers banned
from pulpits, arrested etc
Getting the charter
• Va Co dead by 1624, new charter needed.
• Puritan merchants get charter of Massachusetts
Bay Company from King 1629
• Only migrants allowed to be shareholders, so
charter taken to America – prevents alteration at
later date.
• 4 ships set out for America in 1630, the Arbella,
the Talbot, the Ambrose and the Jewel.
Settlers
• Most migrants (70%) in family groups;
30% single males, but usually attached to
families as servants.
• Adults usually in 30s or 40s, brought
children with them, had more after arrival.
• Life exp v good, 70s when only 50s in
Eng, few problems with disease, no major
Indian problem (smallpox epidemic)
Why go?
• Seek religious freedoms – worship without
interference
• ‘To be as a city on a hill, the eyes of the
world shall be upon us’
• Prove that religious utopia possible, and
that it would be the best type of society.
• Only persecution and econ hardship
remaining in Eng – ec motives?
John
Winthrop
Great Migration
• 1620 - 1642 about 25,000 people migrated to New
England in 198 ships, by 1640 total popn = 40,000.
• Migration very low 1642-60, due to Civil War, picks up
after 1660.
• Unlike Chesapeake migration not ongoing phenomenon,
society more settled stable
• Whole communities transplanted across Atlantic,
renamed new settlements after English ones eg Boston,
Dedham, Springfield, Sudbury etc.
• By 1636 Harvard founded in Cambridge, link to
Emmanuel College – 90 New England ministers had
been trained there.