Religion’s Role in the Founding of Colonies

Colonies Founded for Religious Reasons:

• Plymouth• Massachusetts– Rhode Island– Connecticut – New Hampshire

• Maryland• Pennsylvania

Puritans—City Upon A Hill

• Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony

• 1630• leader—John

Winthrop

• Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony

• 1630• leader—John

Winthrop

Who were the Puritans?

• Congregationalist• basic sinfulness of

humankind• predestination• the elect—“visible

saints”• self-discipline and

endurance of hardships • covenant with God

• Congregationalist• basic sinfulness of

humankind• predestination• the elect—“visible

saints”• self-discipline and

endurance of hardships • covenant with God

How did they practice their faith?

• the sermon—hell fire and damnation

• the meeting house—church and state

• intolerance

• the sermon—hell fire and damnation

• the meeting house—church and state

• intolerance

Why did their utopia fail?

• undemocratic—government by the ‘elect’

• lure of the frontier—encourage rebellion

• intolerance—banishment & witchcraft hysteria

• undemocratic—government by the ‘elect’

• lure of the frontier—encourage rebellion

• intolerance—banishment & witchcraft hysteria

Turning point: Halfway Covenant, 1700Gave citizenship privileges to the non-elect

Turning point: Halfway Covenant, 1700Gave citizenship privileges to the non-elect

Greatest Impact: Protestant Work EthicTown meeting—direct

democracy

Greatest Impact: Protestant Work EthicTown meeting—direct

democracy

The Holy Experiment

• Quakers of Pennsylvania

• 1681—founded by William Penn

• Quakers of Pennsylvania

• 1681—founded by William Penn

Who were the Quakers?

• the Society of Friends• human goodness—

God Exists in Everyone• truth & sincerity—

refuse to bargain• simplicity of life—

avoid luxuries• equality & toleration—

sexes, races, religions • pacifists

• the Society of Friends• human goodness—

God Exists in Everyone• truth & sincerity—

refuse to bargain• simplicity of life—

avoid luxuries• equality & toleration—

sexes, races, religions • pacifists

How did they practice their faith?

• prayer meetings• no formal church

leadership• missionary work• martyrdom• opened

Pennsylvania to all settlers

• prayer meetings• no formal church

leadership• missionary work• martyrdom• opened

Pennsylvania to all settlers

Why did their Utopia Fail?

• trials of governing—refusal to take an oath

• Pennsylvania frontier—war between non-quaker

• settlers & Indians

• trials of governing—refusal to take an oath

• Pennsylvania frontier—war between non-quaker

• settlers & Indians

Turning Point: Colonial Wars1749—Quaker Abdication

Turning Point: Colonial Wars1749—Quaker Abdication

Lasting Impact: TolerancePacificism

Roots of Anti-Slavery Movement

Lasting Impact: TolerancePacificism

Roots of Anti-Slavery Movement

As a result of the failure of the Puritan & Quaker attempts at Utopia:

 American Democracy is based on… 

Separation of Church and State

As a result of the failure of the Puritan & Quaker attempts at Utopia:

 American Democracy is based on… 

Separation of Church and State

•  Puritans:• Separation resulted from a rebellion against the

tyranny of an ‘elect’ religious minority. 

• Quakers:• Separation was a voluntary decision by a religious

group that recognized that their civic responsibilities compromised their religious principles and ultimately threatened the salvation of their souls

•  Puritans:• Separation resulted from a rebellion against the

tyranny of an ‘elect’ religious minority. 

• Quakers:• Separation was a voluntary decision by a religious

group that recognized that their civic responsibilities compromised their religious principles and ultimately threatened the salvation of their souls