NEW ENGLAND COLONIES Mr. Lauta American History

Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire RELIGIOUS FREEDOM – Henry VIII broke away from Catholic Church Formed Protestant religion (Anglican Church) Dissenters (those whose who opposed) were persecuted ( treated harshly) – Jailed, fined, exiled – Some wanted reforms  Puritans – Some wanted own religion  Separatists

SEPARATISTS – Moved to the Netherlands because of persecution There, persecuted again and losing English customs Contacted Virginia Company – Arranged settlement in Virginia – Practice religious freedom – Share profits with company – Called themselves Pilgrims (on a religious journey) Only 35 of 102 passengers on Mayflower Others “strangers” – September 1620 left for Virginia

Mayflower Compact – Pilgrims sailed farther North – Because of the approaching winter, they decided to land at a place they called Plymouth – Outside of Virginia and its laws Signed a formal document  the Mayflower Compact – Pledged loyalty to England – Formed own government – Obey laws passed by group for “the general good of the colony” William Bradford, first leader

Help From Native Americans – First winter – ½ died – In Spring, Native Americans approached settlement (Squanto and Samoset among them) Squanto knew English Showed how to grow some crops Where to hunt and fish Treaty with the Wampanoag (signed by Massasoit in March 1621)

The First Thanksgiving – Autumn 1621 (between September 21 and November 9) – three days of feast – Celebration of peace (50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoags) – Thanked for their harvest and survival

Puritans formed the Massachusetts Bay Company – 1629 – Response to new king’s (Charles I) persecution – Received charter to establish a colony north of Plymouth – John Winthrop chosen as governor In 1630, led 900 Puritans to Massachusetts Bay Settled in what they called Boston

In the 1630s 15,000 Puritans moved to Massachusetts  “Great Migration” – To escape persecution and economic hardships in England The Puritan intolerance – Though they hated being persecuted in England, the Puritans in Massachusetts had little tolerance for non-Puritans Led to new colonies being established

South of Massachusetts – better farmlands – Connecticut People began to move there Thomas Hooker led group out of Massachusetts – Did not like Winthrop’s policies – Rhode Island Settled by people exiled (forced out) from Massachusetts in 1635 – Roger Williams » People should not be persecuted for their religion » Government should not force certain practices » Settlers should not take land away from Native Americans – Settled in land east of Connecticut

John Wheelwright (1638) led a group north to New Hampshire