1. New England Colonies

2. The Voyage of the Mayflower
Early 1500s ACE – King Henry VIII broke away from the Catholic Church and established the Church of England, directly under control of the Crown of England
Separatists – Group who wanted to break away from the Church of England
The Pilgrims were a Separatist group who fled to Holland and finally North America
Broke a deal with the Virginia Company to settle within that company’s boundaries
Blown off course by wind, they landed in an area charted and named “New England” by John Smith
Onboard their ship (Mayflower), the men signed an agreement called the Mayflower Compact, in which they agreed to follow laws for the common good

4. The Pilgrims Found Plymouth
At Plymouth, Pilgrims endured a starving time – By spring half of the colonists died
Samoset (Pemaquid) and Squanto (Pawtuxet) helped the Pilgrims negotiate peace with Chief Massasoit and taught them how to fish, hunt, and grow crops
“Welcome, Englishmen” - Samoset
Pilgrims traded with Natives to acquire furs and lumber – Both could be shipped back to England for profit
Fall 1621 – Plymouth celebrated a good harvest by holding a three day feast (“Thanksgiving”)
Accounts also indicate that the Pilgrims helped Natives attack another tribe around this time

5. The Puritans Come to Massachusetts Bay
Between the 1630s and 1640s, the Puritans left England to escape bad treatment from King James I
Puritans sought to reform or “purify” the Church of England
The Great Migration – Thousands of Puritans leave England
20,000 settled in New England
Puritan merchants invest in the Massachusetts Bay Company
By 1629 ACE, the company received a royal charter to settle in New England
1630 ACE – 11 well-supplied ships carrying 1,000 passengers arrived in Massachusetts Bay
Puritans were well-prepared and did not suffer a starving time
Led by John Winthrop
Commonwealth – a community of people working for the common good

6. The New England Way
Basic unit of New England life – the congregation, a group of people who belong to the same church
People made laws and public decisions as a group in the meetinghouse
In Massachusetts Bay Colony only male church members could vote and hold office
Male members of a congregation could elect representatives to the General Court, which chose the governor
By law everyone had to attend church services
Sermons provided instruction to Puritans – “The New England Way”
Emphasized duty, godliness, hard work, and honesty
Believed vices such as dancing and playing games led to laziness
Strong work ethic – Believed God required you to work at your vocation
All children required to learn to read so they could read the Bible

7. Puritans Form New Colonies
1636 ACE – Thomas Hooker moved his congregation to the Connecticut Valley
They wrote and adopted the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut in 1639 ACE
The orders were essentially a constitution, a plan of government
Extended voting rights to non-church members and limited the power of the governor
1623 ACE – village near modern-day Portsmouth, New Hampshire is founded
1638 ACE – John Wheelwright established the town of Exeter
They drew up the Exeter Compact, which was based on the Mayflower Compact

8. Challenges to Puritan Leaders
Roger Williams, a minister from Salem, Massachusetts, founded the first Baptist church in America
Williams opposed mandatory church attendance and taking Native American land by force
1636 ACE – Williams left Massachusetts and founded the colony of Rhode Island
Rhode Island guaranteed freedom of religion and a separation of church and state in the government
Anne Hutchinson believed that a person could worship God without a church, minister, or Bible
She held discussion challenging church authority in her home
1638 ACE – Hutchinson, after being brought to trial, is forced to flee to Rhode Island
Quakers – believed that each person could know God directly through an “inner light”
Believed in pacifism and treating Natives fairly
Many left for Rhode Island to escape persecution

9. King Philip’s War
Growing number of colonists began to push Natives off of their land
Europeans believed in private property which could be owned by individuals, while Natives believed that land belonged to everyone
ACE – Puritan colonists fought a war against Native Americans
King Philip was the English name for Metacom, leader of the Wampanoag
Metacom organized an alliance of tribes to fight the Puritans
Wampanoag lost the war (3,000 Natives killed [including Metacom], 500 enslaved, many were forced to become laborers)
Colonists lost around 600 settlers and 12 villages were destroyed
Colonists took more Native land

10. The Salem Witchcraft Trials
Late 1600s ACE - Several Salem, Massachusetts village girls were told stories about witches by Tituba, a slave from the West Indies
While pretending to be “bewitched,” the girls falsely accused others of practicing witchcraft
1692 ACE – Witchcraft trials began with ministers acting as judges in religious courts
“Touch test” used to test witches
Clergy viewed the witch-hunts and trials as sign that God wanted villages to return to a strict lifestyle
Hundreds accused, 20 were executed (19 by hanging, 1 by pressing)
The experience showed how society can sometimes create scapegoats for its problems