Religion in the

13 British Colonies

Separatist Beliefs:Separatist Beliefs: Sect of Puritans who believed only Sect of Puritans who believed only

“visible saints” [those who could “visible saints” [those who could demonstrate in front of their fellow demonstrate in front of their fellow Puritans their elect status] should be Puritans their elect status] should be admitted to church membership.admitted to church membership.

Because the Church of England Because the Church of England enrolled all the king’s subjects, enrolled all the king’s subjects, Separatists felt they had to share Separatists felt they had to share churches with the “damned.”churches with the “damned.”

Therefore, they believed in a total Therefore, they believed in a total break from the Church of England.break from the Church of England.

Separatists in England

1620 1620 a group of 102 a group of 102 people [half Separatists] people [half Separatists] Negotiated with theNegotiated with the

Virginia Company to Virginia Company to settle in its settle in its jurisdiction.jurisdiction.

Non-Separatists Non-Separatists included about 50 “strangers”.included about 50 “strangers”.

Plymouth Bay—where they landed—was Plymouth Bay—where they landed—was way way outside the domain of the Virginia outside the domain of the Virginia Company.Company. Became squatters without legal right to Became squatters without legal right to

land & specific authority to establish a land & specific authority to establish a govt.govt.

The Mayflower

The Mayflower Compact

November 11, 1620Written and signed before the Pilgrims disembarked from the ship.Not a constitution, but an agreement to form a crude govt. and submit to majority rule.

Signed by 41 adult males.Led to adult male settlers meeting in assemblies to make laws in town meetings.

“Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and

Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents

solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.”

--Mayflower Compact, 1620

The MA Bay Colony1629 non-Separatist Puritans got a royal charter to form the MA Bay Co.

Wanted to escape attacks by conservatives in the Church of England [Anglican Church].

They didn’t want to leave the Church, just its “impurities.”

1630 1,000 people set off in 11 well-stocked ships

Established a colony with Boston as its hub.

PuritanismPuritans—A form (sect) of Calvinism: Predestination.

•Good works could not save those predestined for hell.

•No one could be certain of their spiritual status.

•Gnawing doubts led to constantly seeking signs of “conversion”—that they were indeed destined to spend eternity in heaven.

Want to totally reform [purify] the Church of England—rid of ceremony, concept of “good works.”

The congregations that formed (hence the term “Congregationalists”) answered to no higher church body . . .

John Winthrop

..we shall be as a ..we shall be as a City on a hill.The eyes City on a hill.The eyes of all people are upon of all people are upon

us.us.

Well-off attorney and manor lord in England.A Modell of Christian Charity.Became 1st governor of Massachusetts. Believed that he had

a “calling” from God to lead there.

Served as governor or deputy-governor for 19 years.

Model of Christian Charity

“City Upon a Hill”

• In the King James version of the Bible the text reads:“Ye are the light of the world. A

city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”

--Gospel of Matthew

American

Exceptionalism

American exceptionalism is the idea that the United States and the American people hold a special place in the world and history, by offering opportunity and hope for humanity, derived from its unique balance of public and private interests governed by constitutional ideals (and the consent of the governed) that are focused on personal and economic freedom.

History of “American Exceptionalism”

•de Tocqueville first calls America “exceptional” in 1835.

•The phrase “American Exceptionalism” was first said by either Stalin or Jay Lovestone (leader of the American Communist Party) in 1929.

Exceptionalism through U.S. History

John Winthrop

..we shall be as a ..we shall be as a City on a hill.The eyes City on a hill.The eyes of all people are upon of all people are upon

us.us.

Well-off attorney and manor lord in England.A Modell of Christian Charity.Became 1st governor of Massachusetts. Believed that he had

a “calling” from God to lead there.

Served as governor or deputy-governor for 19 years.

Model of Christian Charity

Puritan Massachusetts:Theocracy or Democracy?

Theocracy•a form of government in which a community is ruled by religious leaders

Democracy•a form of government in which people choose leaders by voting; government by the people; rule of the majority

The Great Migration•Turmoil in England [leading to the English Civil War] sent about 70,000 to America between 1629 and 1640.

•Not all Puritans!

Colonizing New England—The Great Migration

New England Spreads Out

Covenant Theology

“Covenant of Grace”: between Puritan communities and God.

“Social Covenant”: Between members of Puritan

communities with each other. Required mutual watchfulness. No toleration of deviance or disorder.

Intelligent, strong-willed,Intelligent, strong-willed,well-spoken woman—arrived well-spoken woman—arrived in the colony in 1634.in the colony in 1634.Key beliefsKey beliefs Antinomianism--the doctrine Antinomianism--the doctrine

that that faithfaith in Christ frees in Christ frees the Christian from the Christian from obligation to observe the obligation to observe the moral law moral law as set forth in as set forth in the Old Testament--Truly the Old Testament--Truly saved didn’t need to obey saved didn’t need to obey the law of either God or the law of either God or man.man.

Holy life was no sure sign of Holy life was no sure sign of salvation. (“Good works” vs. salvation. (“Good works” vs. “Faith alone”)“Faith alone”)

Puritan “Rebels”Anne Hutchinson

AnneAnneHutchinsonHutchinson

Challenged the “saints”—Challenged the “saints”—church leaders authority.church leaders authority.Supported Supported Rev. John Rev. John WheelwrightWheelwright, who also , who also preached doctrine of preached doctrine of salvation by “faith alone.”salvation by “faith alone.”Held meetings in her homeHeld meetings in her home—first for women only, but —first for women only, but then men began attending. then men began attending. She would read—and then She would read—and then interpret (!)—scripture.interpret (!)—scripture.

Hutchinson’s “Crimes”

AnneAnneHutchinsonHutchinson

1637 1637 she confounded the Puritan she confounded the Puritan leaders for days.leaders for days.Eventually bragged that she had Eventually bragged that she had received her beliefs DIRECTLY from God.received her beliefs DIRECTLY from God.Direct revelation Direct revelation was even more serious was even more serious than the heresy of antinomianism. than the heresy of antinomianism. Puritan leaders banished her Puritan leaders banished her she & she & her family (6 children, a foot of snow, 6 her family (6 children, a foot of snow, 6 days) traveled to RI and later to NY.days) traveled to RI and later to NY. She and all but one member of her family She and all but one member of her family

were killed in an Indian attack in were killed in an Indian attack in Westchester County.Westchester County.

John Winthrop saw God’s hand in thisJohn Winthrop saw God’s hand in this

Anne Hutchinson’s Trial

"Thus it had pleased the Lord to have compassion of his poor churches here, and to discover this great imposter, an instrument of Satan so fitted and trained to his service for interrupting the passage [of His] kingdom in this part of the world, and poisoning the churches here . . . “

--John Winthrop

Puritan “Rebels”Young, popular minister Young, popular minister in in Salem.Salem. Argued for a full break Argued for a full break

with the Anglican with the Anglican Church.Church.

Condemned MA Bay Condemned MA Bay Charter, as it didCharter, as it did not give not give fair compensation to fair compensation to IndiansIndians..

Denied authority of civil Denied authority of civil gov’t. to regulate gov’t. to regulate religious religious behavior.behavior.

1635 1635 found guilty of found guilty of preaching preaching new & new & dangerous opinionsdangerous opinions and and was exiled.was exiled.

Roger Roger WilliamsWilliams

1636 1636 Roger Williams fled here from Roger Williams fled here from MA Bay.MA Bay. MA Bay Puritans had wanted to exile him MA Bay Puritans had wanted to exile him

to England to prevent him from founding a to England to prevent him from founding a competing colony.competing colony.

Remarkable political freedom in Remarkable political freedom in Providence, RIProvidence, RI• Universal manhood suffrage Universal manhood suffrage later later

restricted by a property qualification.restricted by a property qualification.• Opposed to special privilege of any kind Opposed to special privilege of any kind

freedom of opportunity for all.freedom of opportunity for all.

RI becomes known as the “Sewer” RI becomes known as the “Sewer” because it is seen by the Puritans as a because it is seen by the Puritans as a dumping ground for unbelievers and dumping ground for unbelievers and religious dissenters religious dissenters More liberal than More liberal than any other colony.any other colony.

Rhode Island

New England Settlement, Late 17th Century

Population of the New England Colonies

Reaction to Changing SocietyOrigins of the “Half-Way Covenant”• Puritan population moved out of town away

from control of church. • Traditionally, children of non-converted

(non-“saved”) members could not be baptized w/o “conversion” experience.

• "Half-Way Covenant” 1662: sought to attract more members by giving partial membership

• Puritan churches baptized anyone (although they couldn’t vote in church affairs) and distinction between the "elect" and other members of society gradually subsided . . . And spiritual leaders worried . . .

Salem Witch Trials (1692)

•Trouble began in winter 1692 when Rev. Parris’ daughter Betty began having “fits.”

•Possible causes: stress, asthma, guilt, boredom, child abuse, epilepsy, delusional psychosis, a disease called "convulsive ergotism" brought on by injesting rye--eaten as a cereal and as a common ingredient of bread--infected with ergot . . . or witchcraft.

•By the end of February, 7 other girls were “afflicted.”

•WHO was corrupting them???

• Trials took place between March 1692 & September 1693.

• The first three accused: Tituba (a slave from Barbados), Sarah Good (a beggar who lived with anyone who would house her), and Sarah Osborne (an elderly woman who hadn’t been to church in a year).

• Tituba ultimately confessed . . . and admitted Good and Osborne were witches too.

End of Spectral Evidence—End of Hysteria

• By the time the witch hunt ended more than a year later:

nineteen convicted witches were executed, at least four accused witches had died in prison, and one man, Giles Corey, had been pressed to death. As many as two hundred other persons were arrested and imprisoned on witchcraft charges. Two dogs were executed as suspected accomplices of witches.