New England Colonies Chapter 3, Section 2

New England Colonies NEW ENGLAND COLONIES: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Climate: short warm summers and long snowy winters

New Settlers Following Jamestown, the next series of colonists to America would be in search of religious freedom. During this time, many Protestants wanted to reform the Anglican Church while others wanted to break away from the Anglican Church altogether.

Separatists Protestants who wanted to reform the church were known as Puritans. Protestants who wanted to break away from the church were known as Separatists.

THE PILGRIMS Many Separatists made an arrangement with the Virginia Company.

The Pilgrims The Separatists who came to America considered themselves Pilgrims because their journey had a religious purpose. Little known fact: Only 35 of the 102 passengers who boarded the Mayflower (ship) in September 1620 were Pilgrims. The others were servants, craftspeople and poor farmers who hoped to find a better life in America.

The Pilgrims The Pilgrims had intended to land in Virginia. The first land they sighted, however, was modern day Cape Cod. Pilgrims decide to start a colony in modern day Massachusetts. Their Pilgrim colony would be called Plymouth.

The Pilgrims Plymouth was well outside the Virginia colony, so there was no formal laws at Plymouth. Mayflower Compact. The compact pledged loyalty to England, described their intent to form a civil body and form laws for the benefit of the colony. The Mayflower Compact was necessary in developing a representative government in America.

The Pilgrims During the first winter nearly half of the Pilgrims died of malnutrition, disease and cold temperatures. In the spring, two Native Americans by the names of Squanto and Samoset approached the Pilgrims.

The Pilgrims Amazingly, Squanto knew how to speak English. He had been kidnapped by colonists from Jamestown as a young boy, and had learned the English language. Later he was released from captivity and lived among the Wampanoag. These are the Native Americans the Pilgrims encountered at Plymouth.

The Pilgrims Squanto and Samoset showed the Pilgrims how to grow corn, beans and pumpkins. These Native Americans also showed the Pilgrims where to hunt and how to fish. Without the help of these two Native Americans, the Pilgrims may have perished. In March 1621, the Native Americans and Pilgrims signed a treaty to live in harmony.

The Pilgrims and Thanksgiving In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims invited the Native Americans to celebrate peace between the two groups. About 50 colonists and about 90 Native Americans took part in the three day feast.

The Pilgrims and Thanksgiving They ate many things during the feast. The colonists provided duck. The Native Americans provided the deer.

New Religious Settlements In 1629 a group of Puritans formed the Massachusetts Bay Company and received a charter to set up a colony north of Plymouth in Boston, Mass. This was the Puritans chance to create a new society in America-----A society based on the Bible.

New Religious Settlements This group was led by a well educated Puritan named John Winthrop. Winthrop led 900 men, women and children to Massachusetts Bay. Great Migration: movement of 15,000 Puritans to Massachusetts during the 1630’s.

Connecticut In 1636 a man named Thomas Hooker (a minister) led his church from Massachusetts to Connecticut where he founded Hartford. Here they adopted a plan of government called the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. This would be the first written constitution in America.

Rhode Island Rhode Island was actually settled by colonists who were forced out of Massachusetts. A minister by the name of Roger Williams felt people should not be persecuted for their religious beliefs. He purchased land from the Native Americans and started a colony at Providence, Rhode Island.