Development of the New England Colonies - Essay Example

DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ENGLAND COLONIES DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ENGLAND COLONIES The region known as New England was founded andestablished by the Puritans and who were the first European settlers to establish permanent settlement in that area. The puritans had the mentality and belief system that God had instructed them to reform the people and the church. They therefore condemned gambling, drunkenness, breakage of Sabbath rule, and denounced some ceremonies such celebrating charismas. According to the puritans, people were expected to live by the prescribed set of rules (Anderson 1992, 44) The puritans greatly opposed the English government when King James I encouraged certain evils in society. In 1608, a branch of separatist group of Scrooby decided to flee to Holland. This group comprised of humble individuals, and in Holland, they found low paying jobs. This situation caused some people of the group to quit for other religions. In 1620, a large group of separatist pilgrim left for Mayflower a region that was named Plymouth situated on the Coast of what is today Southeastern Massachusetts. Unfortunately, this group encountered many problems in the new world. For instance, they had the difficulty of crossing the ocean and inadequate supply of food left many hungry. The local Indians assisted Plymouth Colony, and they survived the harsh conditions (Smith 1963, 33). Many puritans who were still living in England were now interest in colonization. In 1629, a group of lawyers and merchants organized a company they called Massachusetts Bay. As time went by, Massachusetts received a royal charter securing its rights to govern the region of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It took a short time for people to settle in New England by about over twenty thousand settlers. According to Anderson (1992, 66-68), the settlers built towns in the New World. Charles II continued to issue royal charters to these immigrants in 1660s, in that some of them decided to settle in Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut and Rhodes Island. Massachusetts successfully conquered New Hampshire in the 1640’s but it was until 1679 when it became a separate colony. In addition, the New England colonists divided the land among themselves in that some families had about 150 acres of land. As this habit continued, the increasing number of young families moved on to western Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Men headed their families in that they sought strict respect and obedience from their children even when they became adults. On the other hand, wives were to be submissive to their husbands. During that time, the law demanded that women who possessed any property were required to surrender it before marriage. At that time, the issue of divorce was almost impossible until the dawn of late eighteenth century. When elections were held in colonies, women were not allowed to vote. Only the widows and single women in society held the same rights as men. The colonies utilized town meetings as basis of their self-governance whereby, town meetings required unanimous consent of all town men. Church played a vital role in the development of new colonies in England. Churches were established at the same time towns were being built. Ministers held much power in that they had the ability to influence over the private and public lives of the people but held no government offices. The colonists were demanded to attend church services and assist ministers in their work in all colonies. New England did not enjoy harmony as the arriving immigrants from England who began to settle in New England disagreed with the local people. These conflicts emerged over different issues such as the right way to regulate livestock, plant crops and distribute land. Towns developed and became overcrowded resulting in many families relocating to outlying districts and wanted to establish their own schools and churches. Religion was the main banning issue in New England among the colonies such as Virginia, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts in that most people who settled in New England viewed themselves as puritans. Their belief system conflicted with other people’s beliefs across the colonies. For instance, the puritans from Plymouth colony believed that religious purity demanded renouncing the Church of England while other puritans believed that they had a role to reform the England church. During the initial years, religious disagreements resulted to spread of settlement beyond Massachusetts colony. There were divisions among the colonies in 1730’s because of the great awakening, which was a major religious crusade. Some people welcomed this move while others disliked it hence they opted to form and join separate churches like the Baptists. New England was now established and became commercialized with diverse society of people by the dawn of mid 1800’s. However, majority of the inhabitants lived their lives as they and their predecessors, in rural places with their families, church and having a basic religious outlook on matters concerning life. Social controversies that were propagated by Martin Luther’s reformation movement, which led to settlement of people at Massachusetts and Plymouth. Radical theologians such as Ulrich and John Calvin were intrigued by Luther’s attack on the church for its failure based on his opinions. The main theme of the theologians move was to preach matters such as predestination and the impending need to rid the protestant church or churches in regard to remnants of property or Roman Catholicism. In regards to social divisions between England colonies, there existed divisions due to the need to purify the Anglican Church rather than the Puritans. The division was based on the inability to adhere to England church rules. One of the group perceived that they could push for reforms within England church while the other group were of the opinion that they could not adhere to the rules. However, separatist could get along with the beginning of rule of Elizabeth I. Therefore, the puritan’s means to survive in a religious environment was achieved through migration to other areas such as America (Green 1988, 21). Emergence of Massachusetts Bay was based on the great migration of Puritans. Based on Christian Charity outlined by John Winthrop, a Massachusetts Bay Colony governor, the plan was designed to help the colonists with regards to their journey to America. However, similarities existed between New England and Virginia, a greater emphasis on a theocratic form of government and Religious practices differentiated the colonies. Since Virginia’s Anglicans were very religious, the Anglican Church was established in Virginia. However, the intensity was not as much as it had been experienced in New England. Desire for material advancement-capitalism constituted the cultures of both Massachusetts and Virginia. Studies show that Capitalism contributed to all Virginia’s events while religious beliefs defined New England’s events. The root of sectionalism was ascribed to the differences between Virginia and Massachusetts and other colonies in the southern and northern England that contributed to the division of England’s colonies. The Plymouth colony emerged as a result of migration and settlement of Separatists –the pilgrims settled on a land that was granted by London’s Virginia Company (Stratton 1986, 51). This was based on their decline to be accommodated within England’s Anglican Church. Unlike the Puritans also known as the Non-Separatists, this group isolated themselves completely from the England church. Despite their move to a more accommodative Netherlands atmosphere, adoption of the Dutch culture and habits by their children forced them to a religious journey rather than pilgrimage. An agreement between King James I sovereignty civil government and the pilgrim leaders led to the creation of Plymouth colony. Establishment of the colony at Plymouth included tolerance to starvation and diseases, which claimed most the Separatists population. Since the relationship between the pilgrims and Indians in the region was sour, control of the region was achieved through force. Studies have shown that, Plymouth colony became established due to trade in fur with the Indians and Dutch neighbors and agricultural activities such as maize cultivation. Based on history, the first permanent settlement was established on Plymouth plantation. However, the colony was eclipsed by emergence of Massachusetts colony because of the immigration of Non-Separatist Puritans into the region (Stratton 1986, 86). Development of Massachusetts Bay began during the Settlement of the Non-Separatist in North America that was caused by economic recession, hostile Charles I, and constant harassment of people by England Church. Massachusetts colony was established after a royal permission was given to the Puritan Merchants. Great migration of 1630 and 1640 encompassed many puritan men, children, and women. The first colony of Puritans displayed the highest level of religious idealism, which came to be referred to as a model of piety for all regions. Several towns within Massachusetts were established on the congregational pattern. Churches in Massachusetts were independently managed since they could hire or fire ministers, gained their finance through taxation of the community, and run their own affairs. In terms of church attendance, not everyone was considered worthy of membership despite the attendance being compulsory. Church membership was assessed through the New England Way. It provided a rigorous evaluation of individual’s spiritual beliefs. Modifications by the new generation were provoked by the intimidating test whose main agenda was to limit membership in Massachusetts churches (Neem 2008, 32). Construction of a society from scratch by the puritans at Massachusetts based on religious beliefs was not an easy approach despite the break through realized by the New Englanders. Despite the puritans being regarded as desperate people who were sour-visage and somber, they were individuals who lived their lives to the fullest. This was exemplified by the fact that Puritans drank, danced, and wore glamorous outfits. In regards to sex, they perceived it as a blessing from God and had to be enjoyed within marriage confines. Family wise, Puritans embraced large families (Neem 2008, 97). Connecticut, Maine, and New Hampshire colonies emerged from settlement of colonists from Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth. Connecticut was characterized by people under the leadership of Thomas Hooker, a Cambridge minister who advocated less rigorous opinions on religious perspectives as opposed to most of the Puritan clergy. Emergence of New Haven was regarded to Puritans who perceived Massachusetts bay more liberal (Greene 1988, 137). Based on the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, self-rule was established in 1639. Apart from the church members, the first constitution that employed Hookers approach defined voting rights to all freemen. Connecticut’s early history embraced its relationship with the Indians. The chartering of Connecticut as a royal colony in 1662 led to introduction of legal status into this England colony. On the other hand colonies such as Maine and New Hampshire emerged as a result of proprietorship grant by the New England council rather than the King. Despite their efforts to strive to uphold to their independence, there was limited success that was notable. These colonies remained under Massachusetts until 1679 and 1820 when New Hampshire and Maine became separate colonies respectively (Green 1988, 182). Summarily, it is worth noting that New England colonies developed because of religious differences among inhabitants of England. Furthermore, political instability and economic recession forced people to migrate to America in search of protection, jobs, and land for settlement. All these factors led to development of new colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, Plymouth, and Maine. Bibliography Anderson, Virginia. New Englands Generation: The Great Migration and the Formation of Society and Culture in the Seventeenth Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Green, Jack P. Pursuits of Happiness: The Social Development of Early Modern British Colonies and the Formation of American Culture. New York: The University of North Carolina Press, 1988. Neem, Johann N. Creating a Nation of Joiners: Democracy and Civil Society in Early National Massachusetts. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 2008. Smith, Peter. The Town Proprietors of the New England Colonies. A Study of Their Development, Organization, Activities and Controversies, 1620-1770. New York: Kindle Books, 1963. Stratton, Eugene A. Plymouth Colony: Its History and People. Salt Lake: Ancestry Publishing, 1986. Read More