Chapter 3
The English Colonies
Pages 64-93
Section 1- Objectives
The New England Colonies
• Pages 66-72
• 1. Describe the problems that Puritans faced
in England.
• 2. Explain why Puritans emphasized
education.
• 3. Understand the role that women played in
New England.
• 4. Identify incidents that threatened stability
in Massachusetts.
The Pilgrims
• Pilgrims had left England due to religious
conflict. They viewed themselves as
wanderers, looking for a place that was safe to
worship.
• Separatists-broke with the Anglican Church.
• Puritans-radical pilgrims, who wished to
“purify” the Anglican Church of all Catholic
rituals and traditions.
Plymouth Colony
• The Pilgrims ended up in the Massachusetts
Cape Cod Bay and decided to stay.
• Mayflower Compact-self-governing colony
based on majority rule of male church
members.
• Governor elected-John Carver
• Squanto-Patuxet Indian who spoke English. He
taught the Pilgrims the skills for survival in the
new world.
Pilgrims Continued
• Some of the Separatists/Pilgrims went to the
Netherlands which was more religious
tolerant. Many were forced into work that was
low pay and the work was unskilled.
• William Bradford-sought permission to settle
in the Hudson River area from the Virginia
Company
The Great Migration
• Most Puritans stayed in England and did not
leave the Anglican Church.
• The crown opposed any reform. James I and
his son Charles wanted to stop any dissent.
The Puritan’s faced hard economic times in
England. In the 1620s crop failure and
depression in the wool industry hit the
farmers and weavers.
The Great Migration Cont.
• Great Migration-began in 1630 when 40,000
people moved to the Americas. Many went to
the West Indies, 10,000 to 20,000 settled in
Massachusetts.
• 1642-Civil War broke out between the
Royalists and the Puritans. Puritans won,
which put Oliver Cromwell into power from
1653-1658.
Massachusetts Bay Colony
• 1629-A group of wealthy Puritans obtained a
royal charter to establish a colony known as
The Massachusetts Bay Company. The group
didn’t want to break all ties with England or
the Anglican church.
• John Winthrop was their leader and wanted to
establish a mission, and example of a model
community.
Massachusetts Bay Colony Cont.
• The Massachusetts Bay Company allowed for
Winthrop and other to govern. They could not
violate English law. The colony was a place
that was guided by English law and the Bible.
The outcome was to work together for the
common good. Voting rights were given to
only freemen who were church members and
property owners. Women did not have the
right to vote.
Massachusetts Bay Colony Cont.
• New England Way-Cooperation between church
and state.
• The meetinghouse was where the Puritans held
both town meetings and church services, this
symbolized cooperation. Everyone in the
community had to live a moral life.
• Puritans believed in predestination which met
that the all-knowing God had already determined
who would be saved. Strict self-examination
could reveal clues who would be chosen.
Massachusetts Bay Colony cont.
• The New England Way depended on people
who were educated and could understand the
Bible.
• General Court required parents to teach
children how to read.
• 1636-Harvard College was founded and was
the first college in North America. The college
was to train young men in the ministry.
Massachusetts Bay Colony cont.
• 1647-A law was passed for town to maintain
schools.
• “Old Deluder Law,” was designed to keep
Satan away, so Satan had no control over the
Scriptures.
• 1701-Yale College was founded, due to the
idea that Harvard had departed from the
church doctrine.
Puritan Education Activity
• Everyone will be divided into small groups.
• Groups discuss the value of literacy and
education in Puritan society.
• Groups will create a poster with words and
pictures, explaining and supporting Puritan
educational campaigns.
• Students will display posters and discuss in
class.
New England Life
Women and Families
• Puritans believed that orderly families were
essential to a stable society.
• Women were expected to obey their fathers
or husbands. Court records show that women
did reject the authority of their husbands.
Some won court cases about not providing for
the family.
• New England women didn’t work in the fields,
but did help with harvest. Women did many
other tasks on the farm.
• Made things for their families such as: soap,
candles, yarn, clothes, butter, and cheese.
• Families were large, with many having at least
six children or more. People survived well into
adulthood, due to plentiful food and escaping
diseases.
Commerce
• Most families didn’t need extra labor due to large
families. Even though slavery did exist in New
England.
• New England residents turned to fishing, trade,
and business. Residents also distilled rum and
built ships. New Englander’s sold fish, grain,
lumber, meat, and naval stores to England, Spain,
Portugal, and West Indies. Trade took place with
other American colonies.
Scrapbooks
• Working in small groups.
• Imagine you are Puritan children living in the
Massachusetts Bay Colony.
• Each group is to create a short family
scrapbook in honor of its mothers and sisters.
• Scrapbooks should fully depict the roles of
women in colonial New England. The
scrapbooks might include letters, drawings,
recipes, inspirational sayings, and so on.