NEW ENGLAND
COLONIES
The New England colonies were founded
by political and religious reformers and developed
around tightly knit towns and villages.
Massachusetts
(Plymouth)
•
The migration to Plymouth in 1620 was
led by a religious group known as the
Pilgrims. Their leader was a man named
William Bradford.
• They
came to the New World
looking to practice their religion
freely (REPS).
Massachusetts
(Massachusetts Bay)
•
In 1630 about 1000 Puritans arrived at
the colony. John Winthrop was elected
governor (govt).
•
Winthrop decided that all church
members could vote (govt).
 The elected officials became part of an
assembly called the General Court
(govt).
•
The colony prospered. Many new settlers
came to the colony and settled in what is
now Boston.
•
The economy of this colony was based on
fishing, livestock
Rhode Island
•
Roger Williams was a young minister who
challenged the Puritans.
 He believed that the church and the
government should be separate (gov)
 He believed that people shouldn’t be forced to
go to church( REPS).
•
The General Court ordered him to leave
Massachusetts.
•
In 1647 Roger Williams, with a woman who
had also been kicked out of Massachusetts
named Anne Hutchinson, started a new
colony became known as Rhode Island.
 He allowed people of all religions to worship
freely(govt).
•
The government was an elected assembly of
citizens.
Rhode Island
(Anne Hutchinson)
•
Among those who fled to Rhode Island was Anne
Hutchinson.
•
Hutchinson attended church and held gatherings at
her home after church to discuss the sermons.
•
She often questioned the Puritan teachings and
persuaded many people to question them too.
•
The Puritan leaders grew angry. They brought her to
trial.
 During her trial, she told the court that God spoke to her
spirit.
 The leaders were shocked! God speaking to a woman??!
•
The court ordered her to leave the colony. She fled for
Rhode Island.
•
For many later Americans, Hutchinson became a
symbol for religious freedom.
Connecticut
•
Thomas Hooker – reverend and leader of a group of
Boston Puritans that migrated to Hartford, Connecticut;
gave a sermon in 1638 that influenced the writing of the
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (the first written
constitution in America and included individual rights);
believed in democratic ideas such as elections conducted
by the people, people have the power to limit the power of
the government, the government operates with the consent
of the governed.
•
The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut – first written
constitution in the colonies. This document stated that
people had the right to elect governors, judges, and a
legislature. Was written by the people; the fact that it was
written down gave it credence.
The Middle
Colonies
•
The Dutch set up a colony called New
Netherland.
•
However, England was jealous (REPS) at
the Dutch’s success, so they sent a fleet
of warships to capture the colony in 1664.
 The unpopular Dutch governor surrendered
without a fight.
 England took over the colony of New
Netherland.
•
King Charles II of England gave the
colony to his brother, the Duke of York.
•
The Duke renamed the colony New York!
•
People in New York were typically
farmers and fishermen (econ).
•
William Penn
•
The Quakers
Pennsylvania
 West of New Jersey, William
Penn founded the colony of
Pennsylvania in 1681. Penn was a
friend of the King of England and a
Quaker.
• Penn founded Pennsylvania for
the Quakers to practice their
religion freely (REPS).
 Quakers believed that all people
were equal (govt) in God’s sight.
 They allowed women to preach in
public and refused to bow down to
nobles.
 Most people thought the Quakers
were wicked. They were fined and
arrested for their actions.
•
The economy of Pennsylvania
was prosperous. Settlers here
were farmers, merchants, and
tradesmen (econ).
Pennsylvania &
• A Policy of Fairness
Delaware
 Penn wanted his colony to be an
example of religious freedom, peace,
and fair living (GOVT).
 People of many different religions
came to Pennsylvania to live.
 Penn was also an advocate for the
rights of Native Americans.
 He believed their lands were being
taken unjustly.
•
The Colony Grows
•
Delaware- Penn allowed the
lower part of his colony separate
in 1704.
 Because Penn advertised his colony
in Europe, many new arrivals settled
in Pennsylvania.
 Penn planned a great capital city
along the Delaware River. It became
the city of Philadelphia.
• Delaware is a part of Pennsylvania
The Southern Colonies
Virginia
•
The colony of Virginia was
the first permanent
English colony in the New
World.
•
Jamestown, VA was
settled in 1607 by English
settlers for the purpose of
claiming land and making
money for England.
•
The economy of Virginia
was based upon tobacco
farming.
•
Virginia House of
Burgesses was a
Representative Assembly
Maryland
•
Lord Baltimore wanted to establish a
colony for Catholics (REPS).
 He named the colony Maryland in
honor of the King’s wife.
•
Settling the Colony
 In 1634, about 200 colonists landed in
Chesapeake Bay.
 It was truly a land of plenty, full of
fish oysters, and crabs.
 Maryland’s colonists hoped to plant
tobacco.
•
Government
 Lord Baltimore set up an elected
assembly (govt).
 He offered generous land grants to
anyone who brought over servants,
women, and children.
 Act of Toleration – religious freedom
(govt)
Georgia
•
The last of the Southern Colonies
was carved out of the southern
part of S. Carolina.
•
James Oglethorpe founded the
colony in 1732.
•
He wanted the colony to be a place
where debtors, or people who owed
money, could make a fresh start
(REPS).
 Under English law, debtors could
be imprisoned until they paid up.
 Oglethorpe paid their way to the
colony and offered them land.
•
Georgia also served as a barrier
between Spanish Florida and the
other English colonies