New England Colonies

New England Economy Not much commercial farming – rocky New

England soil New England harbors

Fishing/Whaling Whale Oil

Shipping/Trade Heavily Forested

Lumber Manufacturing

First factories Rum

Made from Molasses Largest industry in America after

1664 New York, Boston

Some estimates had every American drinking 3 gallons/yr.

Shipbuilding

New England Colonies

Massachusetts Plymouth—1620 Massachusetts Bay

Colony—1629 Connecticut Rhode Island New Hampshire

The Great Migration

In the 1620’s, England began to experience an economic downturn High unemployment Charles I raises taxes

Church of England began to punish Puritans because they were critical of the church.

More than 40,000 Englishmen immigrated to the colonies in the Caribbean and New England between 1630 and 1640.

Massachusetts Bay Colony

1629--Massachusetts Bay Company granted a charter by Charles I Company Colony – owned by stock-

holders All stocks were eventually bought by

Puritans and decided to move company to America

Led by John Winthrop, over 1000 Puritans sailed to Massachusetts to establish an ideal Christian community in New England. “City on a hill” First land in Salem, then Boston

Colony grows and prospers Well prepared for the task Little resistance from Indians Trade with Plymouth Healthier climate than Virginia

John Winthrop

Massachusetts Bay

Company Charter provided more freedom than royal charter in Virginia Provided that a General Court in Massachusetts would

make laws, and elect a governor and other officials Families, and later towns, would send representatives to

the General Court Only male church members were eligible to vote

This created a Theocracy – government ruled by, or subject to, the church

Salem Witch Trials

In the early 1690’s, a group of girls accused people, mostly women, of casting spells on them.

Special Courts were formed to conduct witchcraft trials, often marked by hysteria

Accused were often pressured to confess

Trials led to the execution of 19 people for witchcraft

Within a year, officials regretted the trials and apologized for the actions of the Salem Court.Painting by Thomas Slatterwhite Noble

Connecticut Some colonists disagreed with the church’s

influence on government Minister Thomas Hooker believed that any

property owner should be eligible to vote, regardless of church membership

In 1636, Hooker and 100 of his followers were granted permission to leave Massachusetts to create a new settlement - Connecticut Proprietary colony – owned by one or more

individuals 1639—Fundamental Orders of Connecticut made

the government more democratic Possibly the first written Constitution in the

Western World Acknowledges individual rights of man and

government’s job to protect them Men who were not church members were

allowed to vote General Courts/Assemblies are developing

representative government Still part of Connecticut’s Constitution

New Hampshire

The English crown granted land to Captain John Mason and others in 1623 Proprietary colony Sent 2 groups of settlers to the new territory to

create a fishing colony Little Harbor, Dover Mason died in 1635 before ever arriving in N.H.

Made agreement in 1641 to join Massachusetts Bay Colony for protection

Became a royal colony in 1679 – under control of the crown

Rhode Island

Roger Williams

Founded by Puritan minister Roger Williams Disagreed with leaders in Massachusetts

Believed in “Soul-Liberty” – people should have right to opinion on religious matters

“Wall of Separation” between church and politics

Promoted religious tolerance Wanted to deal fairly with Indians

Exiled from Massachusetts and settled to the south in Providence in 1644 Given land by Natives Proprietary Colony

Anne Hutchinson Challenged church leaders Banished in 1637 and founded

Portsmouth in Rhode Island