Geography
• States that make up New
England Colonies
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Massachusetts
Connecticut
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
Maine
• Made up of hills and low
mountains
• Large areas covered by
forests
• Soil is thin and rocky
• Some of the richest
fishing grounds
• Very long and snowy
winters
• Summers are shorter and
warm
Puritans
• Similar to Pilgrims,
disputes with Church of
England
• Formed the
Massachusetts Bay
Company which
received a charter to
establish settlements
• Led by John Winthrop
The Massachusetts Bay Colony
• Puritans established many settlements in the
colony
– Main town was Boston
• Elected an assembly, the General Court
– Each town sent representatives to the assembly
• Did not believe in religious toleration:
recognition that other people have the right
to different opinions
Rhode Island
• Roger Williams, minister of a church in Salem
– Thought colonists should pay Native Americans for
the land
– Forced to leave Massachusetts Bay
– Moved south to what is now Rhode Island,
purchased land from the Native Americans,
founded Providence
• Received charter, decided people of all faiths
could worship as they saw fit
Anne Hutchinson
• Boston woman who
questioned Puritan
teachings
• Put on trial and forced
to leave Massachusetts
• Established new
settlement in what is
now Rhode Island
Connecticut
• Thomas Hooker, disagreed with Puritans
• Left Massachusetts with followers, settled in
Connecticut, found town of Hartford
• Colonists drew up Fundamental Orders of
Connecticut which established a government
with an elected legislature and governor
New Hampshire
• John Wheelright, forced to leave MA
• Agreed with Anne Hutchinson’s ideas
• Moved to New Hampshire with some
followers, founded Exeter
• Received charter from king