NEW ENGLAND COLONY NOTES:

1)      What ideas were started in Rhode Island and Connecticut that made them models for the United States?

a)                        Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams for political and religious reasons.

i)        Williams was harried out of Massachusetts Bay in 1636 because he advocated the separation of the church and state and for believing the Indians should be paid for their land.

(1)                 Separation of church and state meant the state would not pass laws to help the church nor collect taxes for the church.  There would be no official state supported religion.

(2)                 Freedom of religion means a person may go to any church or none at all.

ii)       Because he credited “divine Providence” for his safety, he named his main settlement, Providence.

iii)     In 1644, Williams received a charter for a self-governing colony.

(1)   Williams put his beliefs into practice, and Rhode Island became the model for the idea of separation of church and state and freedom of religion in America.

b)                       Thomas Hooker founded Connecticut for political reasons.

i)        Hooker believed that adult, white freemen who owned property should  be allowed to vote.  There should be no religious qualification.

ii)       Connecticut’s main settlement was Hartford.  (New Haven)

iii)     In 1636, Connecticut had self-government.  

iv)       The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut was America’s first written constitution. 

(1)   A constitution is a plan for how the government will be set up and run.

(2)   It became a model for self-government because voting rights were based on property ownership not religious beliefs.

2)      How did the other New England states come into existence?

a)                        John Wheelwright and other Puritans spread out of Massachusetts Bay into New Hampshire for political reasons.

i)        Its main settlement was Exeter.  (Portsmouth, Concord)

(1)   It became a royal colony in 1679.

b)      Maine was settled by Puritans spreading out of Massachusetts Bay.

i)        It was never a colony.  It was part of Massachusetts until 1820 when it became its own state.

c)      The area we know as Vermont was claimed by both New Hampshire and New York.  It was never a colony.  It became its own state in 1791.