Migration to New England
Early American Social History
Term 1, Week 5
Competing claims of
European powers
Various explorations
of New England
coast from c.1500
Rich prize for first
European nation to
settle permanently
Little regard for
native rights
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,
• 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.
Mayflower Compact
• Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the
Christian faith and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant
the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these
presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one
another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body
politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of
the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and
frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and
offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and
convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we
promise all due submission and obedience.
Plymouth
Plantation
Plymouth
Bradford’s Of
Plimouth
Plantation
records
experiences of
Pilgrims from
1608 to 1647
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
Congregationalists), 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’[Winthrop]
• 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?
Promotional Literature
Commonality with Va.
Greater use of religious imagery
“Thanks be to God, we have plenty
of preaching, and diligent
catechizing, with strict and careful
exercise, and good and
commendable orders to bring our
people into a Christian conversation
with whom we have to do withal.
And thus we doubt not but God will
be with us, and if God be with us,
who can be against us?”
(Higginson)
Read by ministers – has spiritual
authority
Great Migration
• 1620 - 1642 about 25,000 people migrated
to New England in 198 ships, by 1640 total
popn = 40,000. [good rate of natural
increase]
• Migration very low 1642-60, due to Civil
War, picks up after 1660.
• By 1636 Harvard founded in Cambridge,
link to Emmanuel College – 90 New
England ministers had been trained there.
• Boston became largest town and premier
port
Conclusions
• Unlike Chesapeake, migration to N.Eng
not ongoing phenomenon, society more
settled stable as a result
• Whole communities transplanted across
Atlantic, renamed new settlements after
English ones eg Boston, Dedham,
Springfield, Sudbury etc.
• V. diff societal template to Virginia