Puritans

Puritans Puritans are harassed by King Charles and the Church and flee England in 1630 They wanted to “purify” the Church of it’s Catholic practices Receive a royal charter to settle in New England and are a joint-stock company Are well prepared for any problem and do not suffer any hardships like the “Starving Time”

Puritan Devotion Puritans have been portrayed as uptight Protestants but in actuality were: devoted to their God but they should not get lost in life’s pleasures (they enjoyed good food, drink, had sex with their spouse, music but in moderation) They took every aspect of life seriously and gave great effort to whatever task they faced Strongly believed that they had a covenant with God, if they followed it then they were saved if not then they would face God’s fiery wrath

A Bad Rap for Puritan Devotion? Puritans strongly supported the idea that church and government should work together to promote spiritual holiness and material success Puritans had the opportunity to create their own society, so why not fulfill their covenant with God by using government

A Better Start Unlike Jamestown the Massachusetts Bay Colony was not located near swamps and had a cooler climate It also had a large clean water supply There was an absence of mosquitoes that carry malaria

The Puritan Plan for Success Puritans learned from the mistakes made by Jamestown colonists but supplies spoil Most are families that come, but half die on trip or are scared by the sight of wilderness Puritans agreed to live in an orderly society, male members signed an agreement called a covenant

The Pilgrims Arrive The Pilgrims (separatists) are escaping religious persecution under King James I. Pilgrims want to separate from the Church of England. Arrive in 1620 they land outside of the charter’s grant and must form their own governing body The Mayflower Compact, 1620, was the 1st example of self-rule in colonies. It was written for the good of all community members and supported idea of majority rule.

Mayflower

Pilgrim Leadership William Bradford, 1st governor of Plymouth proclaims Indians are “savage and brutish men” Miles Standish, a soldier will attack enemies of Wampanoag and placed Indian heads on pikes Pilgrims begin to live on Indian lands and live in Indian homes left empty because of diseases and warfare

Early Troubles Pilgrims go through their own ‘Starving Time” minus cannibalism Indians will help them learn about planting crops under the condition that Pilgrims protect them from their enemies This is why there is a famous first Thanksgiving in the fall of 1621

Thanksgiving, 1621

Miles Standish marching to war, 1622

“City Upon a Hill” Sermon by John Winthrop that inspired Puritan colonists with a sense of “holy duty” Puritans would be a model of a perfect Protestant community for all the world to see

Political Development of Massachusetts Bay Colony The Puritans hold town meetings were men meet to make laws and discussed community issues Only male church members could vote on issues and elect their representatives Those that can vote in local government are called “freemen”

With Indians they at first learn how to agricultural techniques and learn how to farm corn, beans, pumpkins, and potatoes Puritans are involved in trade with Indians for items like: blankets, iron pots, metal tipped arrows and guns Puritans will concentrate on raising livestock which need open fields to graze and desire Indian land