Difference between revisions of "Notes:BC1:Southern New England"
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As was discussed in [[New England - the Great Emigration|New England - the Great Emigration]], the founding and early years of the Massachusetts Bay colonies were lead by people who sought to establish a "Bible Commonwealth" and establish a "particular church". Their views were their own and most of local public opinion was with them. There were a few determined and forceful dissenters, but dissenting opinions were not tolerated. Some of the colonies to the south of Massachusetts were started by such people who were either exiled or left Massachusetts. | As was discussed in [[New England - the Great Emigration|New England - the Great Emigration]], the founding and early years of the Massachusetts Bay colonies were lead by people who sought to establish a "Bible Commonwealth" and establish a "particular church". Their views were their own and most of local public opinion was with them. There were a few determined and forceful dissenters, but dissenting opinions were not tolerated. Some of the colonies to the south of Massachusetts were started by such people who were either exiled or left Massachusetts. | ||
*Roger Williams, who publicly protested the authority of Massachusetts government to require adherence to a state sponsored church, was exiled and later founded the colony that became Providence.<ref name="Channing I">Channing, Edward. ''History of The United States, Vol. I, The Planting of a Nation in the New World, 1000-1660''. New York. The MacMillan Co. 1909</ref> | *Roger Williams, who publicly protested the authority of Massachusetts government to require adherence to a state sponsored church, was exiled and later founded the colony that became Providence.<ref name="Channing I">Channing, Edward. ''History of The United States, Vol. I, The Planting of a Nation in the New World, 1000-1660''. New York. The MacMillan Co. 1909</ref> | ||
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It was, therefore, a collection of odd ducks that established the first 4 colonies in what was to become Rhode Island. Their major contribution seems to be that they were more democratic minded than what had come before in Massachusetts and demonstratively more individualistic. They united in few things except about local town rights. And towns united only in disputes with other states. | It was, therefore, a collection of odd ducks that established the first 4 colonies in what was to become Rhode Island. Their major contribution seems to be that they were more democratic minded than what had come before in Massachusetts and demonstratively more individualistic. They united in few things except about local town rights. And towns united only in disputes with other states. | ||
:However, there also existed among their strong opinions, strong toleration of the opinions of others. | :However, there also existed among their strong opinions, strong toleration of the opinions of others. | ||
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| + | It is not known why the men that settled the Connecticut valley left Massachusetts Bay. They were men of substance and well thought of. The possible reasons | ||
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Revision as of 13:41, 25 June 2014
Contents
2014/06/25 User:Jeff
Rhode Island
As was discussed in New England - the Great Emigration, the founding and early years of the Massachusetts Bay colonies were lead by people who sought to establish a "Bible Commonwealth" and establish a "particular church". Their views were their own and most of local public opinion was with them. There were a few determined and forceful dissenters, but dissenting opinions were not tolerated. Some of the colonies to the south of Massachusetts were started by such people who were either exiled or left Massachusetts.
- Roger Williams, who publicly protested the authority of Massachusetts government to require adherence to a state sponsored church, was exiled and later founded the colony that became Providence.[1]
- This was done without license from the king. So the Providence settlers took care of their own government until such time as the king provided permission and direction, which occurred some 25 years later.
- This government was the most democratic of the time and religiously tolerant, but did not last long. Separation of church and state was a concept that was foreign to them and apparently difficult to grasp.
- Anne Hutchinson and followers founded Portsmouth in 1637
- They wrote and signed a covenant that read:
- "We, whose names are under written, do here solemnly, in the presence of Jehovah, incorporate ourselves into a Bodie Politick, and as he shall help, will submit our persons lives and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and to all those perfect and most absolute laws of his given us in his holy word of truth, to be guided and judged thereby."
- Portsmouth was a bible commonwealth in which the will of God was determined, when needed, by a meeting of the freeholders.
- William Coddington, a follower of Hutchinson, and his friends removed themselves from Portsmouth in 1639 and founded Newport at the southern end of the island.
- Samuel Gorton emigrated from London to Boston in 1636. His views were certain to offend in that religious age.(Channing pg. 390)[1]
- He stated that "heaven and hell had no actual existence" and that the Scriptures were only "tales".
- He was run out of Boson, then Plymouth, then Portsmouth, and then Providence.
- Gorton started a colony that was to become Warwick. He was such an outcast, however, he was at odds with everyone in Massachusetts and the Rhode Island colonies. He did, after a few verbal, written, and legal confrontations (Channing pg. 393)[1], apparently learn to live quietly in Warwick.
It was, therefore, a collection of odd ducks that established the first 4 colonies in what was to become Rhode Island. Their major contribution seems to be that they were more democratic minded than what had come before in Massachusetts and demonstratively more individualistic. They united in few things except about local town rights. And towns united only in disputes with other states.
- However, there also existed among their strong opinions, strong toleration of the opinions of others.
Connecticut
It is not known why the men that settled the Connecticut valley left Massachusetts Bay. They were men of substance and well thought of. The possible reasons
