Difference between revisions of "Notes:BC1.AH.New England - the Great Emigration"
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:*In 1629, control of the company was secured by the Nonconformists whose objectives were to plant a colony based on their religious objectives. | :*In 1629, control of the company was secured by the Nonconformists whose objectives were to plant a colony based on their religious objectives. | ||
| − | === | + | ===John Winthrop=== |
| − | It is interesting to ponder why a government would insist on uniformity in religion. Some historians (Edward Channing, for example<ref name="Channing I">Channing, Edward. ''History of the United States Volume I, The Planting of a Nation in the New World, 1000 - 1660''. New York. The MacMillan Company. 1909.</ref>) attribute the reason to the need at the time to protect religion from foreign control. This | + | It is interesting to ponder why a government would insist on uniformity in religion. Some historians (Edward Channing, for example<ref name="Channing I">Channing, Edward. ''History of the United States Volume I, The Planting of a Nation in the New World, 1000 - 1660''. New York. The MacMillan Company. 1909.</ref>) attribute the reason to the need at the time to protect religion from foreign control. This can be understood by understanding the society and customs of the times. Religion had a larger influence over the actions of people than it does today and could turn a segment of society against the government and cause adherents to plot the overthrow of its leadership. Religion has to loosen its grip on society for toleration to exist. |
| − | ::But the pursuit of such uniformity came at the cost of freedom of conscious and freedom of action. | + | ::But the pursuit of such uniformity came at the cost of freedom of conscious and freedom of action. So, given the English tradition of ever expanding freedom for the individual and group, it is no surprise that toleration had to come. But such a thing does not happen over night. The adventuresome people that came to America for religious reasons to found their own societies did not have toleration in mind. The early seekers of religious freedom came to secure the freedom of their own consciences and not to establish a haven for the religiously persecuted. They came, in the words of John Winthrop, to establish a "particular church" (Channing, Vol I page 329<ref name="Channing I" /> |
| + | |||
| + | John Winthrop lead the emigration that founded Boston as part of the Massachusetts Bay Company. Winthrop recorded his reasons for emigrating. | ||
| + | :*He wanted to establish a "bulwark against the kingdom of anti-Christ which the Jesuits labor to rear up in those parts." | ||
| + | ::"What can be a better work and more honorable and worthy a Christian than to help raise ansd support a particular church?" | ||
| + | :*He considered England overpopulated. | ||
| + | ::People "the most precious of all creatures, is here more vile and base than the earth we tread upon . . and thus it is come to pass, that children, servants, and neighbors, especially if they be poor, are counted the greatest burdens, which if things were right would be the chiefest earthly blessing."<ref>Cf. Massachusetts Historical Society's ''Proceedings', 1863-64'', p. 340</ref> | ||
| + | ::While on the other side of the Atlantic lay a continent that should not "lie waste without any improvement." | ||
| + | :*Winthrop also decried luxury and conspicuous consumption of the time characterized by a | ||
| + | ::"height of intemperance in all excess of riot, as no man's estate almost will suffice to keep sail with his equals." | ||
| + | :*Winthrop came to America "to live under a due form of government, both civil and ecclesiastical." I.e., he and those traveling with him came to live in a place in which they would not offend either others or their own consciences. But it was not for tolerance. They wanted a place where the uniformity of religion was of their own type. | ||
| + | :*Finally he was ambitious as were many others who emigrated. He felt that he would not find suitable employment for what he saw as his considerable talents, due to his religious nonconformity. | ||
| + | |||
| + | More important to the success of the Boston settlement than his reasons for going were Winthrop's preparations. He made himself aware of the reasons why previous settlements had either failed or suffered near tragic hardships and prepared his group against these as best he could. | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{Citations}} | {{Citations}} | ||
Revision as of 20:05, 15 June 2014
2014/06/15 User:Jeff
The Massachusetts Bay Company
The Massachusetts Bay Company was established by the Council for New England to develop a land grant received from the king in 1627.
- It was not founded for religious principle or reasons, it was a commercial venture.
- Most of the founding associates were Nonconformists or Separatists with a few conforming to the Established Church.
- In 1629, control of the company was secured by the Nonconformists whose objectives were to plant a colony based on their religious objectives.
John Winthrop
It is interesting to ponder why a government would insist on uniformity in religion. Some historians (Edward Channing, for example[1]) attribute the reason to the need at the time to protect religion from foreign control. This can be understood by understanding the society and customs of the times. Religion had a larger influence over the actions of people than it does today and could turn a segment of society against the government and cause adherents to plot the overthrow of its leadership. Religion has to loosen its grip on society for toleration to exist.
- But the pursuit of such uniformity came at the cost of freedom of conscious and freedom of action. So, given the English tradition of ever expanding freedom for the individual and group, it is no surprise that toleration had to come. But such a thing does not happen over night. The adventuresome people that came to America for religious reasons to found their own societies did not have toleration in mind. The early seekers of religious freedom came to secure the freedom of their own consciences and not to establish a haven for the religiously persecuted. They came, in the words of John Winthrop, to establish a "particular church" (Channing, Vol I page 329[1]
John Winthrop lead the emigration that founded Boston as part of the Massachusetts Bay Company. Winthrop recorded his reasons for emigrating.
- He wanted to establish a "bulwark against the kingdom of anti-Christ which the Jesuits labor to rear up in those parts."
- "What can be a better work and more honorable and worthy a Christian than to help raise ansd support a particular church?"
- He considered England overpopulated.
- People "the most precious of all creatures, is here more vile and base than the earth we tread upon . . and thus it is come to pass, that children, servants, and neighbors, especially if they be poor, are counted the greatest burdens, which if things were right would be the chiefest earthly blessing."[2]
- While on the other side of the Atlantic lay a continent that should not "lie waste without any improvement."
- Winthrop also decried luxury and conspicuous consumption of the time characterized by a
- "height of intemperance in all excess of riot, as no man's estate almost will suffice to keep sail with his equals."
- Winthrop came to America "to live under a due form of government, both civil and ecclesiastical." I.e., he and those traveling with him came to live in a place in which they would not offend either others or their own consciences. But it was not for tolerance. They wanted a place where the uniformity of religion was of their own type.
- Finally he was ambitious as were many others who emigrated. He felt that he would not find suitable employment for what he saw as his considerable talents, due to his religious nonconformity.
More important to the success of the Boston settlement than his reasons for going were Winthrop's preparations. He made himself aware of the reasons why previous settlements had either failed or suffered near tragic hardships and prepared his group against these as best he could.
