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Home , Mayflower Compact, New England Colonies

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SECTION 2 The TEKS 1C, 2B, 3B, 4B, 11A, 15A, 20A, Colonies 23E, 25A What You Will Learn… If YOU were there... Main Ideas You live in a town near London in the early 1700s. Some of your 1. The Pilgrims and neighbors are starting new lives in the American colonies. You came to America to avoid religious persecution. would like to go with them, but you cannot afford the cost of the 2. Religion and government trip. There is one way you can go, though. You can sign a paper were closely linked in the New England colonies. promising to work as a servant for five years. Then you would be 3. The New England economy free—and in a new country! was based on trade and farming. 4. Education was important in Would you sign the paper and go to America? the New England colonies.

The Big Idea BUILDING BACKGROUND England’s first successful colonial English colonists traveled to settlements were in . They were started mainly as business New England to gain religious ventures. Other colonists in North America had different reasons for freedom. leaving their homes. Many, like the Pilgrims and Puritans, came to have freedom to practice their religious beliefs. Others, like the person Key Terms and People above, simply wanted a new way of life. Puritans, p. 78 Pilgrims, p. 78 immigrants, p. 78 Compact, p. 79 Pilgrims and Puritans , p. 79 Religious tensions in England remained high after the Protestant John Winthrop, p. 80 Reformation. A Protestant group called the Puritans wanted to Anne Hutchinson, p. 82 purify, or reform, the Anglican Church. The Puritans thought that bishops and priests had too much power over church members.

Pilgrims on the Move Use the graphic organizer online to The most extreme English Protestants wanted to separate from the take notes on the reasons English Church of England. These Separatists formed their own churches colonists came to New England. and cut all ties with the Church of England. In response, Anglican leaders began to punish Separatists. The Pilgrims were one Separatist group that left England in the early 1600s to escape persecution. The Pilgrims moved to the

Netherlands in 1608. The Pilgrims were immigrants —people who have left the country of their birth to live in another country. The Pilgrims were glad to be able to practice their religion freely. They were not happy, however, that their children were

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learning the Dutch language and culture. Primary Source The Pilgrims feared that their children would forget their English traditions. The Pilgrims Historical Document decided to leave Europe altogether. They T he Mayflower Compact formed a joint-stock company with some In November 1620, Pilgrim leaders aboard the Mayflower merchants and then received permission drafted the Mayflower Compact. This excerpt from the from England to settle in Virginia. Mayflower Compact describes the principles of the Pilgrim On September 16, 1620, a ship called the colony’s government. Mayflower left England with more than 100 men, women, and children aboard. Not all of We whose names are underwritten . . . having The Pilgrims undertaken, for the glory of God, and advance- describe the these colonists were Pilgrims. However, Pil- ment of the Christian faith, and the honour of reasons they want to form a grim leaders such as William Bradford sailed our King and country, a voyage to plant the with the group. colony in North first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, America. The Mayflower Compact do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, After two months of rough ocean travel, the covenant and combine ourselves together Pilgrims sighted land far north of Virginia. into a civil body politic for our better order- The Pilgrims knew that they would thus be ing and ­preservation and furtherance of the outside the authority of Virginia’s colonial ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof, to enact, The Pilgrims constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, promise to government when they landed. Their charter obey laws that ordinances, acts, ­constitutions, and offices . . . would not apply. So, they decided to establish help the whole their own basic laws and social rules to govern as shall be thought most meet and convenient colony. for the general good of the colony unto which the colony they would found. we promise all due . . . obedience. On November 21, 1620, 41 of the male passengers on the ship signed the Mayflower by these presents: by this aforesaid: mentioned above document virtue: authority Compact, a legal contract in which they agreed covenant: promise ordinances: regulations to have fair laws to protect the general good. The civil body politic: group meet: fitting Compact represents one of the first attempts organized to govern at self-government in the English colonies. ANALYSIS In late 1620 the Pilgrims landed at Plym- skill ANALYZING PRIMARY SOURCES outh Rock in present-day . 1. Why do you think the colonists felt the need to establish The colonists struggled through the winter. a government for themselves? Nearly half died during this first winter from 2. How do you think the Mayflower Compact influenced later sickness and the freezing weather, but the governments in America? colony became the first permanent Europe- an colony in New England.

Pilgrims and Native Americans From Squanto the Pilgrims learned to In March 1621 a Native American named fertilize the soil with fish remains. Squanto also walked boldly into the colonists’ helped the Pilgrims establish relations with settlement. He spoke in broken English. the local Indians. Conditions in Samoset had learned some English from the the began to improve. crews of English fishing boats. He gave the The Pilgrims invited Wampanoag chief Pilgrims useful information about the peoples and 90 other guests to celebrate and places of the area. He also introduced their harvest. This feast became known as the them to a Patuxet Indian named Squanto. first Thanksgiving. For the event, the Pilgrims Squanto had at one time lived in Europe and killed wild turkeys. This event marked the spoke English as well. survival of the Pilgrims in the new colony.

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Pilgrim Community Puritans Leave England Although the Pilgrims overcame many prob- During the England’s economy suf- lems, their small settlement still struggled. fered. Many people lost their jobs. The Eng- Most Pilgrims became farmers, but the farm- lish king, Charles I, made the situation worse land around their settlement was poor. They by raising taxes. This unpopular act led to a had hoped to make money by trading furs political crisis. At the same time, the Church and by fishing. Unfortunately, fishing and of England began to punish Puritans because hunting conditions were not good in the they were dissenters, or people who disagree area. Some colonists traded corn with Ameri- with official opinions. King Charles refused can Indians for beaver furs. The Pilgrims to allow Puritans to criticize church actions. made little money but were able to form a strong community. The colony began to Great Migration grow stronger in the mid-1620s after new These economic, political, and religious prob- settlers arrived and, as in Jamestown, colo- lems in England led to the Great Migration. nists began to have more rights to farm their Between 1629 and 1640 many thousands own land. of English men, women, and children left The Pilgrims’ settlement was different England. More than 40,000 of these people from Virginia’s in that it had many families. moved to English colonies in New England The Pilgrims taught their children to read and and the Caribbean. In 1629, Charles granted offered some education to their indentured a group of Puritans and merchants a charter servants. Families served as centers of religious to settle in New England. They formed the life, health care, and community well-being. Massachusetts Bay Company. All family members worked together to In 1630 a fleet of ships carrying Puritan survive during the early years of the colony. colonists left England for Massachusetts to Women generally cooked, spun and wove seek religious freedom. They were led by John wool, and sewed clothing. They also made Winthrop. The Puritans believed that they soap and butter, carried water, dried fruit, and had made a covenant, or promise, with God cared for livestock. Men spent most of their to build an ideal Christian community. time repairing tools and working in the fields. They also chopped wood and built shelters. A New Colony The Puritans arrived in New England well pre- Women in the Colony pared to start their colony. They brought large In Plymouth, women had more legal rights amounts of tools and livestock with them. than they did in England. In England women Like the Pilgrims, the Puritans faced little resis- were not allowed to make contracts, to sue, or tance from local American Indians. Trade with to own property. In America, Pilgrim women the Plymouth colony helped them too. In had the right to sign contracts and to bring addition, the region around had a fair- some cases before local courts. Widows could ly healthful climate. Thus, few Puritans died also own property. from sickness. All of these things helped the From time to time, local courts recog- do well. By 1691, nized the ways women helped the business the Massachusetts Bay Colony had expanded community. Widow Naomi Silvester received to include the Pilgrims’ Plymouth Colony. a large share of her husband’s estate. The court Reading Check Summarizing What role did called her “a frugal [thrifty] and laborious religion play in the establishment of the Massa- [hardworking] woman.” chusetts Bay Colony?

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History Close-up

Plymouth Colony Several years later, the second Plymouth colony, Duxbury, Colony was founded. New England Colonies

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MapQuest.com/HRW VillageVillage ah06se-c02000006aa Plymouth Colony Approved: 11/11/04 F4 Proof – 11/10/04 Plymouth Colony ANALYSIS skill ANALYZING VISUALS In what ways were Plymouth Colony and the Indian village similar and different? Religion and Government in New England Massachusetts Bay Colony had to obey Eng- Politics and religion were closely linked lish laws. However, its charter provided more in Puritan New England. Government lead- independence than did the royal charter of ers were also church members, and ministers Virginia. For example, it created a General often had a great deal of power in Puritan Court to help run the Massachusetts colony. communities. Male church members were The Puritan colonists turned this court the only colonists who could vote. Colonists into a type of self-government to represent became full members in the church by becom- the needs of the people. Each town sent ing what the Puritans called God’s “elect,” or two or three delegates to the Court. After chosen. Reaching this status was a difficult John Winthrop served as the colony’s first process. Individuals had to pass a public test governor, the General Court elected the to prove that their faith was strong. governor and his assistants. In 1644 the Gen- In 1636 minister and his eral Court became a two-house, or bicameral, followers left Massachusetts to help found legislature. , another New England colony.

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B iographY In 1639 Hooker wrote the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. This set of princi- Anne Hutchinson ples made Connecticut’s government more 1591–1643 democratic. For example, the Orders allowed In 1634 Anne Hutchinson emigrated men who were not church members to vote. with her family from England to the As a result, some historians call Hooker the Massachusetts Bay Colony. After set- father of American democracy. The Funda- tling in Boston, she worked as a nurse mental Orders of Connecticut also outlined and midwife. She also hosted a Bible- the powers of the general courts. study class that met in her home. Over Not all Puritans shared the same religious time, Hutchinson began to question the teachings of the local ministers. views. Minister did not agree Meanwhile, her popularity grew. with Massachusetts leaders. He called for his After being banished from the colony, church to separate completely from the oth- Hutchinson settled in er New England congregations. He also criti- and, later, Long Island. She died in cized the General Court for taking land from an American Indian attack. Today American Indians without paying them. we remember her as a symbol of the Puritan leaders worried that Williams’s ­struggle for religious freedom. ideas might hurt the unity of the colony, and they made him leave. Williams took Drawing Conclusions Why do his supporters to southern New England. you think church leaders disliked Hutchinson’s ideas? They formed a new settlement called Provi- dence. This settlement later developed into the colony of Rhode Island. In Providence, Williams supported the separation of the church from the state. He also believed in religious tolerance for all members of the community. In Boston, an outspoken woman also angered Puritan church leaders. Anne Church and State Hutchinson publicly discussed religious ideas that some leaders thought were radical. For example, Hutchinson believed that people’s Religion Affected Government relationship with God did not need guidance • Government leaders were from ministers. church members. Hutchinson’s views alarmed Puritans • Ministers had great authority. such as John Winthrop. Puritan leaders did not believe that women should be religious leaders. Puritan leaders put Hutchinson on trial for her ideas. The court decided to force her out of the colony. With a group Government Affected Religion of followers, Hutchinson helped found the • Government leaders outlawed new colony of Portsmouth, later a part of certain religious views. the colony of Rhode Island. Although these • Government leaders punished differences among religious views caused dissenters. some ­community conflicts, they were also an important step in the development of religious freedom in the colonies.

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Perhaps the worst community conflicts Shipbuilding in New England involved the witchcraft tri- Shipbuilding became an important industry als of the early 1690s. The largest number of in New England for several reasons. The area trials were held in Salem, Massachusetts. In had plenty of forests that provided materi- Salem a group of girls had accused people als for shipbuilding. As trade—particularly in of casting spells on them. The community slaves—in the New England seaports grew, formed a special court to judge the witchcraft more merchant ships were built. The fish- cases. The court often pressured the suspect- ing industry also needed ships. New England ed witches to confess. Before the trials had shipyards made high-quality, valuable ves- ended, the Salem witch trials led to 19 people sels. Ship owners sometimes even told their being put to death. captains to sell the ship along with the cargo when they reached their destination. Reading Check Identifying Cause and Effect What led to religious disagreements Skilled Craftspeople among the Puritans, and what was the result? The northern economy needed skilled crafts- people. Families often sent younger sons to New England Economy learn skilled trades such as blacksmithing, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hamp- weaving, shipbuilding, and printing. The shire, and Rhode Island were very different young boys who learned skilled trades were from the . The often harsh known as apprentices. climate and rocky soil meant that few New Apprentices lived with a master crafts- England farms could grow cash crops. Most man and learned from him. In exchange, farming families grew crops and raised ani- the boys performed simple tasks. Appren- mals for their own use. There was thus little tices promised to work for a master crafts- demand for farm laborers. Although some man for a set number of years. They learned people held slaves, slavery did not become as trades that were essential to the survival important to this region. of the colonies. Apprentices received food and often clothing from the craftsmen. Merchants Gabriel Ginings, for example, was an Trade was vital to New England’s economy. apprentice in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. New England merchants traded goods local- He received “sufficient food and raiment ly, with other colonies, and overseas. Many [clothing] suitable for such an apprentice,” of them traded local products such as furs, as his 1663 contract stated. pickled beef, and pork. Many merchants After a certain amount of time had grew in power and wealth, becoming lead- passed, apprentices became journeymen. ing members of the New England colonies. They usually traveled and learned new skills in their trade. Eventually they would become Fishing a master of the trade themselves. Fishing became one of the region’s leading The Impact industries. The rich waters off New England’s Reading Check Categorizing What types of Today coast served as home to many fish, includ- jobs were common in the New England colonies? Fishing remains ing cod, mackerel, and halibut. Merchants an important industry in New exported dried fish. Colonists also began Education in the Colonies England, earning hunting for whales that swam close to shore. hundreds of Education was important in colonial New Whales were captured with harpoons, or millions of dollars England. Mothers and fathers wanted their each year. spears, and dragged to shore. Whaling pro- children to be able to read the Bible. The vided valuable oil for lighting.

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Massachusetts Bay Colony passed some of Higher Education the first laws requiring parents to provide Higher education was also important to the instruction for their children. colonists. In 1636 John Harvard and the Public Education General Court founded Harvard College. To be sure that future generations would have Harvard taught ministers and met the colo- educated ministers, communities established ny’s need for higher education. The second town schools. In 1647 the General Court of college founded in the colonies, William and The Impact Mary, was established in Virginia in 1693. Today Massachusetts issued an order that a school be founded in every township of 50 families. By 1700 about 70 percent of men and 45 Public schools percent of women in New England could read are the main Schoolchildren often used the New Eng- source of edu- land Primer, which had characters and stories and write. These figures were much lower cation for most from the Bible. They learned to read at the in Virginia, where Jamestown was the only children in the major settlement. . same time that they learned about the com- About 50 million munity’s religious values. Reading Check Analyzing Why was students are The availability of schooling varied in enrolled in the education important to the New England colonies? nation’s public the colonies. There were more schools in elementary New England than in the other colonies and secondary where most children lived far from towns. schools. These children had to be taught by their S ummary and preview In this section parents or by private tutors. Most colonial you learned about the role that religion children stopped their education after the played in the New England colonies. In elementary grades. Many went to work, either the next section you’ll learn about New on their family farm or away from home. York, , and .

Section 2 Assessment ONLINE QUIZ Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People b. Predict What are some possible benefits that 1. a. Recall Why did the Pilgrims and Puritans leave New England’s emphasis on education might bring? Europe for the Americas? Critical Thinking b. Explain What was significant about the year 1620? 5. Identifying Cause and Effect Review your notes c. Elaborate Do you think the Pilgrims could have on the reasons English colonists came to New survived without the assistance of Squanto and Mas- England. Then copy the diagram below and use it to sasoit? Explain your answer. show how the colonists’ experiences caused them 2. a. Describe What role did the church play in Mas- to build certain types of colonies. sachusetts? Why did some colonists disagree with the

leaders of Massachusetts? Causes Effects b. Explain Why were the colonies of Connecticut and Rhode Island founded? c. Analyze How did the Mayflower Compact and the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut encourage self- government? Focus on Writing 3. a. Identify Describe the economy in the New Eng- land colonies. 6. Comparing Colonies Take notes on the early b. Analyze Why do you think New England mer- New England colonies. Be sure to note what advan- chants became leading members of society? tages they offered to settlers and what difficulties 4. a. Describe What steps did the Massachusetts Bay settlers faced. Put a star beside the colony or colo- Colony take to promote education? nies you might use in your infomercial.

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