How did persecution in england lead to the settlement of the new england colonies
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From the arrival of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts in 1620, religion in New England was shaped by the tension between traditions brought from afar and spiritual developments born of a land already filled with a diversity of practices and beliefs. Early efforts to enforce religious uniformity eventually gave way to an ever-expanding “spiritual marketplace” of Anglicans and Baptists, Quakers and Shakers, Congregationalists and Unitarians, as well as the resilient and adaptable traditions of African Americans and the region’s original inhabitants. The Pilgrims were only one chapter of a story that soon included new worlds of faith. Show
The first English settlements in Massachusetts were intended to be theologically uniform, but almost immediately differences of opinion became a part of the American religious experience. Facing persecution and sometimes death, dissenters fled to other colonies, while members of new denominations arrived and brought changes from within, creating a region known for both piety and diversity. Children’s Letter Book, around 1840 Religion informed every stage of life in early America, beginning with childhood. From the establishment of the first schools in New England in the 17th century, moral lessons and scriptural allusions were an essential part of education. Letter books like this one used biblical tales to teach basic reading skills. The Bay Psalm BookThe first book published in English North America, the 1640 Bay Psalm Book was used for worship by the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay, who prohibited any singing in church other than songs drawn from the Bible. For decades, this book set the tone for communal devotion. The Bay Psalm Book, 1640 Loan from David Rubenstein Lucretia Coffin MottMassachusetts-born Quaker minister Lucretia Coffin Mott (1793–1880) was an educator, abolitionist, and pioneer of women’s rights. She led efforts to avoid the use of goods produced through the labor of enslaved people and organized the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention with suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Portrait of Lucretia Mott Courtesy of Library of Congress, Manuscript Division Lucretia Mott’s Cloak, 1840 Gift of Lucretia Mott (Churchill) Jordan John WinthropAs governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop borrowed a phrase from scripture when he called his settlement “a city upon a hill,” serving as a model for others. He brought this communion cup with him aboard the Arbella, which transported early Puritan settlers from England in 1630. Portrait of John Winthrop Courtesy of American Antiquarian Society John Winthrop’s Cup, 1610–1611 Loan from The First Church in Boston, courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston ShakersLed by Mother Ann Lee (1736–1784), the United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing was a religious community influential throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Called “Shakers” for their ecstatic worship, they embraced industry and commerce to further their cause, becoming known for craftsmanship, herbal remedies, and celibacy. Shaker Advertisement Courtesy of Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Shaker Glasses, 1825–1850 Shakers Dancing, around 1840 Courtesy of New York State Museum, Albany, New York Christianity and Native AmericansExiled from Massachusetts for his unorthodox religious beliefs, Roger Williams traveled into what is now Rhode Island to start a colony of his own. He used this compass sundial as he explored southern New England, meeting members of the Narragansett tribe, from whom he purchased the land that would become Providence. Portrait of Roger Williams Courtesy of Museum of American Finance Roger Williams’s Compass Sundial, around 1635 Interactions between European settlers and Native Americans often included exchanges of religious ideas. The first Bible printed in America was John Eliot's translation into the Algonquian language. Wampum not only served as currency but had religious significance, serving a function similar to scripture. John Eliot Preaching to Indians Courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division John Eliot's Bible, 1663 Loan from American Bible Society Wampum, 18th Century Gifts of Mendel L. Peterson and The Chase Manhattan Bank Breaking with the Church of EnglandSaint Paul’s Church in Newburyport, Massachusetts, stayed open during the Revolution despite tension between their Anglican faith and New England’s patriotic mood. The church’s rector, Edward Bass, remained neutral during the war, but later crossed out benedictions for the King in his prayer book and inserted blessings for Congress. Edward Bass’s Book of Common Prayer, 1766 Loan from St. Paul’s Church, Newburyport, Massachusetts After the Episcopal Church in America was formally separated from the Church of England in 1789, Saint Paul’s in Newburyport became known as the “Bishop’s Church,” home to the first Episcopal bishop in Massachusetts. The church displayed this status atop its steeple with a carved wooden bishop’s mitre. Saint Paul’s Finial, 1800 Loan from St. Paul’s Church, Newburyport, Massachusetts Paul Revere's Church BellChurch bells provided the iconic sounds of early America, not only summoning the faithful to worship but also serving as a communication system that could function at a distance in this mostly rural nation. For decades after the Revolution, Paul Revere was better known for his bells than his midnight ride. This bell hung in a Maine church until 1831, when it was moved to a Massachusetts textile mill. How did religion affect the English settlements in New England?Religion was the key to the founding of a number of the colonies. Many were founded on the principal of religious liberty. The New England colonies were founded to provide a place for the Puritans to practice their religious beliefs. The Puritans did not give freedom of religion to others, especially non-believers.
Why were Puritans persecuted in England?The Puritans left England primarily due to religious persecution but also for economic reasons as well. England was in religious turmoil in the early 17th century, the religious climate was hostile and threatening, especially towards religious nonconformists like the puritans.
Who migrated to New England to escape religious persecution?The Puritan migration to New England was marked in its effects from 1620 to 1640, declining sharply afterwards. The term Great Migration usually refers to the migration in the period of English Puritans to Massachusetts and the Caribbean, especially Barbados.
What was the religious persecution in England?During the 1660s and 1670s a series of penal laws were enacted which persecuted both Catholics and members of the various nonconformist groups. Enforcement of these laws unleashed a period of violent religious disturbance and hatred across England, Scotland and Wales.
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