New England Colonies Update 2024

Summary

This discussion delves into the New England colonies, focusing on Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay. It explores the historical context, including Henry VIII's establishment of the Church of England and the rise of Puritans seeking religious reform. The Mayflower Compact is highlighted as an early example of self-governance in America. The Massachusetts Bay Colony's formation under John Winthrop and the 'City upon a Hill' speech are detailed, emphasizing the colony's religious foundation and moral laws. The Great Migration from 1630 to 1640 is also covered, illustrating the significant English population shift to the colonies and the establishment of a patriarchal society with an established Puritan church.

Takeaways

• 🏰 The New England colonies were named by John Smith due to their similarities to England, including Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony.
• 👑 Henry VIII's break from the Catholic Church led to the establishment of the Church of England, which was Protestant but retained many Catholic traditions.
• 👸 Mary I attempted to revert England to Catholicism, persecuting Protestants, including her sister Elizabeth I, who later continued the Protestant faith as queen.
• 🤔 Puritans sought to 'purify' the Church of England by removing Catholic rituals and practices, advocating for more local congregational control.
• 🧳 Separatists, who later became known as Pilgrims, believed the Church of England was irredeemably Catholic and chose to separate entirely, eventually settling in New England.
• 🌊 The Mayflower Compact was a pivotal early example of self-governance in America, establishing a 'civil body politic' to create laws and govern the Plymouth Colony.
• 🍁 The Great Migration from 1630 to 1640 saw approximately 20,000 English people move to the American colonies, significantly increasing the population and influence of English culture.
• 🏛️ Massachusetts Bay Colony was established with the goal of creating a religious society, led by John Winthrop, who gave the famous 'City upon a Hill' speech.
• 🏗️ The Massachusetts Bay Colony's government, known as the General Court, allowed for self-governance with free men, primarily stockholders and male members of the Puritan Church, able to vote.
• ⛪️ The Puritan Church, or Congregational Church, was the established church of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, receiving tax support and enforcing attendance and moral codes.

Q & A

Who coined the phrase 'New England' and why?

John Smith of the Jamestown Colony coined the phrase 'New England' because the colonies established in that region were similar to the actual country of England.

Which colonies are primarily referred to when discussing the New England colonies?

The primary colonies referred to in the New England region are Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony.

What was the significance of the Mayflower Compact?

The Mayflower Compact was significant as it was an early example of self-governance in America, where the colonists agreed to create laws and govern themselves rather than being ruled by a distant monarch.

What was the role of Squanto in the Plymouth Colony?

Squanto was a Native American who helped the Pilgrims in the Plymouth Colony with farming and surviving their first year, which contributed to the success of the colony.

Why did the Puritans establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

The Puritans established the Massachusetts Bay Colony to escape religious persecution in England and to create a society based on their religious beliefs.

Who was the leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and what was his famous speech?

The leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was John Winthrop, and his famous speech was 'A Model of Christian Charity,' also known as the 'City upon a Hill' speech.

What was the Great Migration and when did it occur?

The Great Migration was a period from 1630 to 1640 when about 20,000 English people migrated to the American colonies for various reasons, including religious freedom, economic opportunities, and dissatisfaction with the political situation in England.

How did the Massachusetts Bay Colony's government structure differ from the Virginia Colony's?

The Massachusetts Bay Colony had a government structure called the General Court, which allowed free men, specifically stockholders in the Massachusetts Bay Company and male members of the Puritan Church, to vote, whereas the Virginia Colony had the House of Burgesses.

What was the role of the Puritan Church in the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

The Puritan Church, also known as the Congregational Church, was the established church of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, receiving tax support and having laws requiring church attendance.

What was the 'City upon a Hill' speech and why is it important?

The 'City upon a Hill' speech was a famous sermon by John Winthrop that outlined the vision for the Massachusetts Bay Colony as a moral and religious society, emphasizing the importance of community and setting a standard for the new settlers.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 Formation of New England Colonies

The video script discusses the origins of the New England colonies, highlighting their similarities to England and focusing on Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony. It delves into the historical context of England, including the reign of Henry VIII and the establishment of the Church of England, which led to religious tensions and the eventual formation of the Puritan and Separatist groups. These groups sought religious freedom and played a significant role in the colonization of New England.

05:00

🚢 The Mayflower Compact and Plymouth Colony

This section details the journey of the Pilgrims on the Mayflower and their establishment of Plymouth Colony. The Pilgrims were Separatists who sought to practice their religion freely. Before disembarking, they created the Mayflower Compact, a foundational document that established self-governance and a commitment to creating laws for the common good. The Compact is significant as it represents an early example of democratic principles in the American colonies.

10:01

🌐 The Massachusetts Bay Colony and Great Migration

The script continues with the story of the Puritans, who were also dissatisfied with the Church of England and sought to establish a religious society in the New World. In 1630, they founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which was led by John Winthrop. The colony was characterized by its strong religious focus and the establishment of a moral society with laws against various vices. The Great Migration from 1630 to 1640 brought a significant number of English people to the American colonies, further strengthening the New England colonies.

15:03

🏛 The Government and Society of Massachusetts Bay Colony

This part of the script explores the government and societal structure of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It had an independent government with a democratic system known as the General Court, which was led by a governor. The colony was characterized by a strong work ethic and a patriarchal society where men held power. It was intolerant of other religions, establishing the Puritan Church as the official religion, supported by taxes. The script also mentions the famous 'City upon a Hill' speech by Governor John Winthrop, which outlined the colony's aspirations.

20:04

📜 Laws and Society of Massachusetts Bay Colony

The final paragraph discussed in the script covers the laws and societal norms of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It emphasizes the colony's moral code, which included strict regulations against behaviors such as drunkenness, swearing, theft, and idleness. The society was structured around a Puritan work ethic and a strong emphasis on religious observance, with church attendance being mandatory. The script also touches on the intolerance of other religious practices and the establishment of the Puritan Church as the dominant religious institution, funded by taxes.

Keywords

💡New England Colonies

The New England Colonies refer to a group of English colonies in the northeastern region of America, which includes Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony. These colonies were established by English settlers seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity. In the script, the New England Colonies are highlighted for their similarities to England, both in name and in the settlers' desire to replicate their homeland's social and political structures in the New World.

💡Plymouth Colony

Plymouth Colony was the second successful English colony in the New World, established in 1620 by the Pilgrims. It is significant for being the site of the first Thanksgiving and for the Mayflower Compact, which was an early form of democratic governance. The script discusses Plymouth Colony as a precursor to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and as a model for self-governance and religious freedom.

💡Massachusetts Bay Colony

Massachusetts Bay Colony, established in 1630, was a major English settlement in New England led by Puritans seeking religious freedom. It was characterized by a strong religious society and strict moral laws. The script emphasizes the colony's establishment by John Winthrop and its influence on the development of democratic principles in America, as seen in the formation of the General Court.

💡Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was a covenant signed aboard the ship Mayflower in 1620 by the Pilgrims, establishing a system of self-governance in Plymouth Colony. It is considered a precursor to modern democratic constitutions and represents the settlers' commitment to creating a just society. The script mentions the Mayflower Compact as a foundational document that laid the groundwork for the principles of self-governance and rule by the consent of the governed.

💡Puritans

Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England from remaining Catholic practices. They were a significant group among the English settlers in New England, particularly in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The script discusses the Puritans' reasons for migration to America, their establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and their influence on the development of American society and religious practices.

💡Separatists

Separatists, also known as Pilgrims, were a group of English dissenters who believed the Church of England was irredeemably Catholic and chose to separate from it entirely. They are known for establishing Plymouth Colony and for the Mayflower Compact. The script describes the Separatists' journey to the Netherlands and then to America, where they sought the freedom to practice their religion without interference.

💡Great Migration

The Great Migration refers to the period from 1630 to 1640 when approximately 20,000 English people migrated to the American colonies, particularly to Massachusetts Bay Colony. This mass migration had a significant impact on the population and culture of the colonies. The script mentions the Great Migration as a key factor in the growth and development of the New England Colonies, leading to the establishment of a strong Puritan influence in the region.

💡John Winthrop

John Winthrop was a Puritan leader and the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He is known for his sermon 'A Model of Christian Charity,' which outlined the vision for a virtuous society in the new colony. The script highlights Winthrop's leadership and his influential 'city upon a hill' speech, which emphasized the importance of communal responsibility and the moral example the colony should set for the world.

💡General Court

The General Court was the governing body of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, similar to the House of Burgesses in Virginia. It was a democratic institution that allowed free men, primarily stockholders in the Massachusetts Bay Company and male members of the Puritan Church, to vote. The script discusses the General Court as an example of self-governance and the beginnings of democratic practices in the American colonies.

💡Puritan Work Ethic

The Puritan Work Ethic refers to the strong emphasis on hard work, discipline, and the moral virtue of labor within Puritan society. It was a key value in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and is often cited as an influence on American culture. The script mentions the Puritan Work Ethic as a central tenet of the colony's moral code, with laws against idleness and an expectation of industriousness from its citizens.

Highlights

John Smith of Jamestown Colony coined the phrase 'New England' due to the similarity of the colonies to England.

The New England colonies include New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, with Maine being part of Massachusetts at the time.

Henry VIII's break from the Catholic Church led to the establishment of the Church of England, with the monarch as its head.

Mary I's reign saw a return to Catholicism and persecution of Protestants, including her sister Elizabeth.

Elizabeth I's reign was marked by a continuation of Protestantism and a strong, enduring rule.

The Puritans sought to 'purify' the Church of England by removing Catholic rituals and practices.

The Separatists, who later became known as Pilgrims, believed in completely separating from the Church of England to form their own religion.

The Mayflower Compact was created as an agreement for self-governance among the Pilgrims before they disembarked in the New World.

The Plymouth Colony was the second English colony established, with the Mayflower Compact serving as a foundational document.

Squanto, a Native American, played a crucial role in aiding the Pilgrims in farming and surviving their first year.

The first Thanksgiving was a celebration between the Native Americans and the Colonists, marking a successful harvest.

The Massachusetts Bay Colony was established by Puritans seeking religious freedom, led by John Winthrop.

The 'city upon a hill' speech by John Winthrop outlined the vision for a moral and religious society in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

The Great Migration from 1630 to 1640 saw approximately 20,000 English people move to the American colonies for various reasons, including religious freedom.

The Massachusetts Bay Colony established a democratic system called The General Court, with a governor at its head and free men allowed to vote.

The Puritan Church, also known as the Congregational Church, was the established church of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, funded in part by taxes.

Laws in the Massachusetts Bay Colony reflected a moral society, with strict regulations against behaviors such as drunkenness, swearing, theft, and idleness.

The Massachusetts Bay Colony was intolerant of other religions, seeking freedom to worship their religion exclusively.

Transcripts

today's discussion is going to be

surrounding the most northern region of

colonies which became known as the New

England colonies actually John Smith of

the Jamestown Colony was the one that

coined the phrase New England um largely

because the colonies that are going to

be established in what is New England

are so similar to the actual country of

England which of course is why it's

called New England um The Colony we're

going to focus on primarily are Plymouth

Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony um

likely two colonies that you have

previously heard of in your lifetime and

so when you take a look here these are

the New England colonies New Hampshire

Massachusetts Rhode Island and

Connecticut um at this point in time in

history what is today Maine was part of

Massachusetts so um the actual state of

Maine or col colony of Maine never

exists the first the state of Maine

doesn't come into existence until

1820 little bit of History going back to

what's happening in England in order to

understand the formation of the New

England colonies um before Elizabeth I

was Queen of England her father had

reigned um England his name was Henry

the 8 um some of you probably have heard

the famous story of Henry VII who

married uh six times

um with his first wife Katherine of

Aragon he had one daughter Mary um and

he believed that he really wanted a son

because he believed that in the age of

absolute monarchs that women would not

be strong enough rulers and England

would fall because of that um his wife

was too old to have any more children

and so he sought an analment from the

Catholic Church um so that he could

marry another person and have more

children the Catholic Church refused to

give um Henry VII an analment based on

that reasoning and so when he was told

no Henry VI a did exactly what um any

absolute monarch would have done in that

time and he created a new religion so he

broke England off from the Catholic

Church the Protestant Reformation was

very popular at this time he saw this

opportunity to create a different

Christian religion

um and so he started the Church of

England um which is known as the

Anglican church or the Anglican Faith um

and instead of the Pope as the head the

Monarch would be the head of the church

um beyond that he really did not change

much from um from

Catholicism um very very similar in in

status except for the fact that they

don't have to abide by the pope and

guess what divorce was legal and the the

new church of England um so after he

creates this church he divorces

Katherine of

Aragon and he marries and Bin um an bin

Bears him a daughter as well again very

disappointed her name was Elizabeth this

daughter very disappointed because he

thought women would not be successful

rulers ultimately Anne Bolin would be

beheaded um at the behest of Henry VII

um his next wife is a woman named Jane

Seymour and she finally bore him a son

um and so he ended up having a son which

he was pleased with but his son was very

sickly um also to note he goes on to

marry three more times um two more

Catherine so he marries three Catherine

total um two more cathine and he

actually dies while he's married to his

last wife so that's a little bit of a

the long and short of Henry VII after he

dies his

son um becomes the leader of England um

maintains protestantism but as I

mentioned his son was sick sickly and

died shortly thereafter and this means

now that his eldest daughter Mary would

become the Queen of England now Mary

being the daughter of Katherine Aragon

of Aragon who was a devout Catholic Mary

herself was Al also a devout Catholic

and so she transitions England back to

Catholicism and begins to persecute

Protestants including her younger sister

Elizabeth um whom she viewed as like an

enemy so to say um Mary herself ends up

dying a couple years later and the

throne goes to Elizabeth the First and

we know a little bit about Elizabeth we

know that um she was not only the second

longest ruling Monarch in England's

history next to Elizabeth II behind

Elizabeth II but she also was an

incredibly strong Monarch that kept um

England going and so England is going to

continue from that point on as a

Protestant

religion um as well as under the

leadership of James I he is going to

continue the Protestant tradition of the

Church of England there now there's a

group of of englanders that were

disappointed by the fact that the Church

of England even in the 1600s still

resembled the Catholic Church far too

closely they felt that there was too

much Catholic ritual and they wanted to

purify the church hence Puritan um and

by that I mean they wanted to remain in

the Church of England they just wanted

to transform it and make it what they

would consider

better they believe that congregations

individual congregations should have the

most power in the religion um and they

hope to eliminate all traces of

Catholicism including getting rid of

like Catholics really like stained glass

windows and statues and basically to

make the church very minimalist so they

could focus on praying

entirely um Puritans wanted like I said

to remain with the church of England and

that's important to note because there's

going to be another group of dissenters

that are going to emerge in England and

those people are probably more commonly

known to you the

pilgrims um the pilgrims however their

original name were separatists so the

pilgrims also were really disappointed

with um the fact that the Church of

England was way too Catholic but they

unlike the Puritans did not think that

there would be a possibility to reform

it they believed that the only way to

really rid the Church of England of its

Catholic influences was to completely

separate um and form their own religion

and so that's exactly what they did they

went

underground and um James I later in his

Reign started to punish and

persecute those people who did not

worship the anglian faith the

separatists and the Puritans alike and

so as a result of that because the

separatist had actually broken away from

the church of England um they decided to

escape and leave England um and they

moved to

the Netherlands sorry I had a had a

moment there they moved to the

Netherlands uh Holland for a period of

time um and this is where they gained

the name Pilgrim because Pilgrim

literally um translates to tra to

traveler after spending some time in

Holland they decided to move to America

um they received permission to do so to

set up their own colony where they could

uh worship

freely um and here is a uh picture of

the first pilgrims who of course came

over on a very famous ship the Mayflower

right we all know the Mayflower and here

they're arriving and um giving thanks to

God for a successful Journey right there

on Plymouth Rock

itself all right so when we're talking

again about about the New England

colonies we're starting with

Massachusetts Bay Colony which is Boston

here um and also talking about Plymouth

Colony so you'll notice that Plymouth

Colony is actually established first in

1620 so this is the second English

colony to be established um and and

established a little bit south of

Massachusetts Bay um so 1620 is that

date and they established their colony

near Cape Cod and before they even get

off the ship this is a really this is

most important part of the pilgrims

before they even get off the ship they

decide that they need to agree um to

some sort of governance and so on the

Mayflower they create what becomes known

as the Mayflower Compact the word

compact literally translating to an

agreement or a promise so let's take a

look at the Mayflower Compact right here

here in your chapter 4 content guide you

will find the Mayflower Compact so I'd

like you to turn to page two right now

to find that the Mayflower Compact and

we're just going to read the part that's

in bold which in your content guide is

going to be the part that's in

italics having undertaken for the glory

of God and advancement of the Christian

faith and the honor of our King and

Country a voyage to plant the first

colony in the Northern parts of Virginia

do by these presents solemnly and

mutually in the presence of God and of

and one of another Covenant and combine

ourselves together into a civil body

politic for our better ordering and

preservation and furtherance of the ends

AFF for said and by virtue hereof to

enact constitute and frame such just and

equal laws ordinances acts constitutions

and offices from time to time as shall

be thought most meat and convenient for

the general good of the colony unto

which we promise all du submission and

obedience in the middle here they say

the phrase we combine ourselves together

into a civil body politic and that's

probably the most famous phrase make

sure you highlight and underline it so

after of course establishing that

they're there for god um they've been

given this opportunity by God they also

decide we need to establish some sort of

government and I want you to identify

like take a look at some of these things

they say that they are going to they

need better order they need preservation

meaning they're going to be

successful um furtherance of the ends

AFF for said meaning they want to make

sure that they have this successful

religious

Society um they are basically saying

that the people that were aboard the

Mayflower the pilgrims themselves are

going to be the ones to create laws to

create ordinances constitutions create

offices and they are going to govern

themselves um this is the first

example um

of this actually I should let me

rephrase this is a second example of um

self-govern government governance for

the American colonies the first example

of course being the House of Burgesses

in 1619 Mayflower Compact becomes the

second and so it's really important as

we're looking at the establishment of

these original colonies to look at how

the ideas and the principles by which

they were established were then carried

into our government today our

constitution our Declaration of

Independence and other things like that

so the significance of the Mayflower

Compact of course is that early in

American history the idea was Advanced

that a society should be based on a set

of rules chosen by its members not rules

decided by a king across an ocean but it

a set of rules chosen by its members and

that idea was carried further in the

Declaration of Independence when it said

that the decisions needed to be made by

quote consent of the Govern

governed um William Bradford is the

first

governor um Squanto is the most famous

Native American that helped them farm

and survive in that first year and of

course many of you famously know of the

first

Thanksgiving where the Native Americans

and the Colonists came together to

celebrate a successful Hest um and

largely a successful year so what I'd

like you to do now is I'd like you to

pause me me and while you have me paused

I want you to answer questions 1 through

three about the Mayflower Compact on

page

two and then go ahead and

read um of Plymouth

Plantation um and answer the question

and or sorry actively read that um and

just identify what is important there

um yeah sorry just actively read that

and then then um turn to page four and

answer the questions on this painting So

pause me so that you can continue to

look at the painting and

color all right welcome

back we're going to continue on to

massachusett Bay Colony so 10 years

later the Puritans who were also being

harassed in England had had enough um

seen that the pilgrims for the last

decade had established a successful

religious deciding America the pilgrim

Puritans decided to do the same and so

in 1630 they set up a new Colony um

which became known as the Massachusetts

Bay Colony um its leader was a man by

the name of John

Winthrop um and John Winthrop became

very famous will become very famous

because he's trying to establish a

religious Society for New

England um like James Town Colony like

the Plymouth Company they are also going

to be funded by a joint stock

company and um eventually as the

Massachusetts Bay Colony grows um the

city of Boston will will go in place of

its

location when they left England they

were given the authority to establish an

independent government so we're really

going to be taking a good look at what

the Massachusetts Bay Colony government

is

like so there you go Boston is where is

where Massachusetts Bay is going to be

established they're obviously going to

have the already established Plymouth to

assist them as

needed um and this brings us to The

Great Migration from 1630

to actually I'm going to pause there I'm

going to go back to to sorry to John

Winthrop I'd like you to turn to page

five

and I want you to

read uh well we're going to read the top

together in 1625 the Anglican cleric

William LOD began a program of intense

persecution of the Puritans combined

with an economic recession this was all

the reason many Puritans needed to seek

a better life in

America in 1630 over 1,000 Puritan

settlers set off in 11 ships to escape

religious persecution in England Eng

land they landed just north of the

Plymouth Colony near present day Boston

and established Massachusetts Bay Colony

um after they got off the ship and were

in the process in their first days there

um Governor John Winthrop gave a famous

speech called a model of Christian

charity which is oftentimes nicknamed

the city upon a hill speech so what I'd

like you to do is I would like you to

read this exert this very very very

famous you must know 100% one of the

most important primary sources in apus

history read through a model of

Christian charity um highlighting things

that you um believe will indicate what

the Massachusetts Bay Colony will stand

for and then go ahead and answer the

question below you're going to skip D

and then go ahead and unpause me

all right coming back to our PowerPoint

1630 to 1640 is The Great

Migration um this is one of two great

migrations the other one's going to

happen in the early 1900s that one

however is going to be African-Americans

moving North for jobs in this case we're

talking about English people leaving

England um for a variety of reasons

Civil War Wars going on bad Economic

Times um they don't like their leaders

that emerge and so huge numbers 20,000

English people and then some leave um at

this point in time about 20,000 are

going to come to the American colonies

as you can see they also go other places

like Barbados St kits Bermuda and so on

and so forth but about 20,000 English

people migrate to the American colonies

which causes them to have a greater

population and a much stronger influence

now in the

Americas and as you guys I'm sure

noticed from the city upon a hill

speech um they were very focused on

religion and so they're going to create

a very moral society and we're going to

look at some of the laws that would be

considered part of this moral Society um

shortly um but they're going to

establish their own democratic system

their own self-governance it's called

The General Court remember in Virginia

colony is called the House of Burgesses

here it's going to be a general court

and like Virginia colony there's going

to be a governor at its head they

allowed free men to vote so who is free

men that it would be stockholders in the

Massachusetts Bay Company that joint

stock company that funded it as well as

male members of the Puritan Church like

most colonies women were not allowed to

vote now one of the interesting things

about um Massachusetts Bay society and

other colonies will eventually follow

suit is what's called an established

church meaning the Puritan Church which

is also known as the Congregational

Church so Puritan and the word

congregational are interchangeable um

the Puritan church is the established

church of Massachusetts Bay col

and when people paid taxes to the

government a large sum of those taxes

also went to the

church there were laws that required

Church attendance there were laws

against drunkenness swearing theft

idleness idleness is another word for

laziness they strongly strongly favor

the idea of Puritan work ethic maybe

some of you have heard that phrase

before and adulthood you'll hear it more

the whole idea that people are going to

work hard for the things that they want

um but M Massachusetts based society was

a patriarchical society men really did

hold all of the Power um and one of the

most important things that you should

know about Massachusetts Bay is that

they were intolerant of all other

religions so when we think of like the

idea of oh people came to America for

freedom of religion that's not untrue

but people came to America a lot of

times for freedom to worship their

religion

and their religion alone and didn't want

others influencing so that's just a

little bit about the Advent and the

starting of Massachusetts Bay Society

Colony um we previously talked about

Plymouth and um from here you can go

ahead and check the agenda for what's

next