In 1630 seven hundred Puritans sailed on a fleet of eleven ships and established the Massachusetts Bay Colony. By 1636 17,000 had arrived
- William Formby Halsell
“If the Lord seeth it will be good for us, he will provide a shelter and a hiding place.”
- John Winthrop to his wife Margaret on emigration to America
”A Leadership Culture
Puritans believed that leadership was critical
to success of the colony. Leaders should have
intelligence, higher education, and a margin
of wealth to provide authority (although
great wealth was suspect). Character and
competence were valued over hereditary
riches. While ministers were influential they
did not hold public office.
The Puritans and American Democracy
The Puritans opposed democracy in theory but were frustrated by hereditary power in England. Massachusetts Puritans pointedly established fixed terms of office — for Governor, members of the legislature, and other positions. Elections were frequent and freemen (members of the church) could vote without property qualifications. Democratic practices, including the right to criticize leaders, took root. However, unlike modern democracies, religious crimes were prosecuted.
This 1629 Royal Charter granted governing authority for the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The original, with interpretive detail, is on display in the Commonwealth Museum’s Treasures Gallery.
- Massachusetts Archives
City on a Hill
John Winthrop’s lay sermon “A Model of Christian Charity” included the words “City on a Hill.” Using a biblical phrase, Winthrop saw the colony as a model for the Church of England and future colonial settlements — but only if successful. His tone was not grandiose. President-elect John Kennedy and President Ronald Reagan used the term to contrast America with Cold War rivals.
The capital of Massachusetts takes its name from Boston, England. John Cotton, the colony’s most important religious thinker, preached at St. Botolph’s Church in Boston before leaving for New England.
- Alamy
England: Gathering Clouds
In England there were fears that religious war would engulf the
country. After the Protestant Reformation many felt that the
Church of England had not gone far enough to reform its liturgy
and hierarchy. The king and most members of the aristocracy
remained committed to the Anglican Church. Dissenters,
including the “Pilgrims” and “Puritans” who would come to
Massachusetts, experienced tremendous pressure to conform.
The Old Ship Church . . .
Built in 1681 the Old Ship Church in Hingham is the oldest surviving Puritan meeting house
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The Congregations . . .
Individual congregations selected their minister. Some argue that this process also reinforced democratic tendencies.
- Michael Carter
Climbing the Wrong Ladder: John Winthrop
John Winthrop was the longest serving governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. A member of the gentry class, he owned land (Groton Manor), was a wool merchant, and a lawyer. As an attorney in London he witnessed corruption and bribery in the supervision of “wards,” underage heirs of estates. Uncomfortable with the cynicism of fellow attorneys, he interpreted personal financial setbacks as divine encouragement to leave for America.
