BASIC NOTES ON THE NEW ENGLAND COLONIES Social, Political, and Economic Characteristics…

Map of the New England Colonies The map to the left is zoomed in to focus exclusively on the New England colonies. You can use the map on page 32 of your textbooks to help complete this assignment. Keep in mind that the boundaries of the states you know today are not the same as the boundaries of the colonies hundreds of years ago. In general, though, you should have all the colonies from Connecticut and Rhode Island one color, and the Middle Colonies of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey (and OK, Delaware, too…) in another color. Don’t forget to label all of the appropriate bodies of water as well.

The Puritan Work Ethic and Thrift  “Idle hands do the devil’s work…” – that was the popular refrain in Puritan New England, where work ethic was valued above all things.  “Waste not, want not.” The same idea.  Puritans came to New England hoping to devote themselves to greater austerity – to avoid the luxuries and excesses of the Anglican Church they were so critical of in England.

Usury  One of the most basic ideas of capitalism is that the profit motive is essential to making the economy work.  Not in Puritan New England! Charging high rates of interest or exorbitant prices might result in physical punishments or imprisonment.

Economic Opportunity  Nevertheless, the basic idea of economic mobility was alive and well in Puritan New England. Many people chose to emigrate England because they were landless, unemployed, and impoverished.  Even the lowliest indentured servant had a reasonable expectation that they may inherit land at the end of their term of servitude.

Diversity of Economy  Fur trapping  Shipbuilding  Timber  Fishing and Whaling  Farming  Cattle ranching  Trade  All of the activities above were possibilities in New England.

The Puritans really did seek religious freedom. For themselves…

Religious intolerance towards others was common. Quakers were hanged!

Public Education  The origins of public education are closely tied to religious education throughout America.  The Puritans were especially devoted to teaching even the underclasses to read because they viewed the interpretation of the Bible to be essential to the survival of their “City Upon a Hill.”

The Mayflower Compact was the first written plan for self-government ever put into effect in the American colonies. The Mayflower Compact

New England’s commitment to Town Hall Meetings are as close as any area in Colonial America ever came to direct democracy – the sort of democracy practiced in Athens – thus the term “Athenian democracy.” Town Hall Meetings… Norman Rockwell’s town hall meetings weren’t exactly the same, but they were a part of an old tradition!

Thomas Hooker, the founder of Connecticut, put forth the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. The document essential granted suffrage to all men – regardless of religious affiliation. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

“A City Upon a Hill” – Original Text “Now the onely way to avoyde this shipwracke and to provide for our posterity is to followe the Counsell of Micah, to doe Justly, to love mercy, to walke humbly with our God, for this end, wee must be knitt together in this worke as one man, wee must entertaine each other in brotherly Affeccion, wee must be willing to abridge our selves of our superfluities, for the supply of others necessities, wee must uphold a familiar Commerce together in all meekenes, gentlenes, patience and liberallity, wee must delight in eache other, make others Condicions our owne rejoyce together, mourne together, labour, and suffer together, allwayes haveing before our eyes our Commission and Community in the worke, our Community as members of the same body, soe shall wee keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace, the Lord will be our God and delight to dwell among us, as his owne people and will commaund a blessing upon us in all our wayes, soe that wee shall see much more of his wisdome power goodnes and truthe then formerly wee have beene acquainted with, wee shall finde that the God of Israell is among us, when tenn of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies When hee shall make us a prayse and glory, that men shall say of succeeding plantacions: the lord make it like that of New England: for wee must Consider that wee shall be as a Citty upon a Hill, the eies of all people are uppon us; soe that if wee shall deale falsely with our god in this worke wee have undertaken and soe cause him to withdrawe his present help from us,

Rev. Jonathan Winthrop, 1630 Wee shall be made a story and a byword through the world, wee shall open the mouthes of enemies to speake evill of the wayes of god and all professours for Gods sake; wee shall shame the faces of many of gods worthy servants, and cause theire prayers to be turned into Cursses upon us till wee be consumed out of the good land whether wee are going: And to shutt upp this discourse with that exhortacion of Moses that faithfull servant of the Lord in his last farewell to Israell Deut. 30. Beloved there is now sett before us life, and good, deathe and evill in that wee are Commaunded this day to love the Lord our God, and to love one another to walke in his wayes and to keepe his Commaundements and his Ordinance, and his lawes, and the Articles of our Covenant with him that wee may live and be multiplyed, and that the Lord our God may blesse us in the land whether wee goe to possesse it: But if our heartes shall turne away soe that wee will not obey, but shall be seduced and worshipp other Gods our pleasures, and proffitts, and serve them, it is propounded unto us this day, wee shall surely perishe out of the good Land whether wee passe over this vast Sea to possesse it; Therefore lett us choose life, that wee, and our Seede, may live; by obeyeing his voyce, and cleaveing to him, for hee is our life, and our prosperity.”

Massachusetts Bay Colony - Puritan New England: “A City Upon a Hill”  Why did Puritans choose to leave the Anglican Church in England?  What did the Puritans expect to happen if they lived as a God-fearing community in Massachusetts?  How would witnesses respond if the Massachusetts Bay Colony was righteous, prosperous, and successful?  How would the world respond if the Puritans dealt falsely with their God and failed?

The Puritans believed that the Anglican Church was too ritualized and dominated by pomp and ceremony. They sought a more austere, simplified religious faith. Why did Puritans choose to leave the Anglican Church in England?

“The Lord will be our God and delight to dwell among us, as his own people and will command a blessing upon us in all our ways, so that we shall see much more of his wisdom, power, goodness, and truth then formerly we have been acquainted with.” What did the Puritans expect to happen if they lived as a God-fearing community in Massachusetts?

“When he shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of succeeding plantations: the Lord make it like that of New England! For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us.” How would witnesses respond if the Massachusetts Bay Colony was righteous, prosperous, and successful?

“If we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world, we shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God and all professors for God’s sake. We shall shame the faces of many of God’s worthy servants and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us till we be consumed out of the good land whether we are going.” How would the world respond if the Puritans dealt falsely with their God and failed?