New England Colonies (1620-1700) I. II. III. IV. Intro Why? Plymouth (1620) Massachusetts Bay A. Founding (1630) B. Dissenters • Witches V. New England Society A. Community B. Family • • • • • • Key Terms Puritans Pilgrims John Winthrop Roger Williams Anne Hutchinson Salem Witch Trials Two Dominant Religions In England Roman Catholic Anglican (Church of England) Puritans: Purify Church of all Catholic influences Pilgrims: “Radical” Puritans who wanted to separate from Anglican Church Major Religions In Europe (ca. 1560) Netherlands = Religious Freedom Image Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Pilgrims Land At Plymouth (November, 1620) • Included about 100 settlers • About half died within six months First Thanksgiving (1621) • Thanksgiving = Indians & Pilgrims work together Pilgrim’s Legacy 1. First permanent English settlement in New England 2. Pilgrims = VERY small in number Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630) • John Winthrop delivers “City on a Hill Sermon” • Included 11 ships; 700 passengers Great Puritan Migration (1610-1660) • Persecution in England led to dramatic increase in settlement • By 1700 population was 93,000 in ALL of New England Massachusetts Bay Colony • Influential leader • Governor of the colony 13 of its first 19 years • Church & State were closely intertwined: – “Blue Laws” John Winthrop (1588-1649) Dissenter Roger Williams (1603-1683) • Minister who called for separation of Church & State. • Declared the colony had no legal right to own land. • Banished in 1635; moved to “Providence” and began his own colony. • Rhode Island practiced religious toleration. Dissenter • A mother of 14 children • Challenged the authority of ministers • Declared she had direct revelations from God • Put on trial and banished; later killed by Indians Anne Hutchinson (1591-1643) Williams & Hutchinson • Puritans did NOT necessarily support freedom of religion; they supported the right to practice their religion freely. Salem Witch Trials (1692) • In April, several girls began to act strangely • Tituba, an African slave, and two others were accused of witchcraft; accusations grew • Over 300 were accused of witchcraft & 20 were executed Rev Cotton Mather’s Book Provided Brief Trial Narratives Image Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Petition For Bail From Accused Witches (1692) Pattern • Accusation = Guilty Verdict • Guilty Verdict = Execution • To avoid execution, a confession was needed Image Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Salem Witch Trials (How Could This Happen?) • Economics: social class & income conflict • Puritan’s Goal: “City Upon a Hill” New England: Community Life • The Meeting House was the “center.” • Homes were close to one another; 150 acre plots were for farming (not necessarily next to home) • High population density = Watchfulness – 500 people per sq. mile New England: Community Life Farm-land Farm-land Farm-land Farm-land Farm-land Farm-land Boston Common Today Land Divisions • Homes in clusters with Meeting House in center • Town Commons = grazing land • One person (John Goodnow) grew crops in five separate spots Sudbury, MA 1639-1656 New England: Family Life • Family = Backbone of community Stability – – 80% of children reach adulthood Life expectancy was 15-20 years longer than in Virginia • Family Organization – Father: “True head” of family – Mother: Managed households; often became “deputy husbands” – Children: Provided labor force • Sex = Natural & ok; but acceptable only in…. Marriage New England Colonies (1620-1700) I. II. III. IV. Intro Why? Plymouth (1620) Massachusetts Bay A. Founding (1630) B. Dissenters • Witches V. New England Society A. Community B. Family • • • • • • Key Terms Puritans Pilgrims John Winthrop Roger Williams Anne Hutchinson Salem Witch Trials