History with Mrs. Lee: Pilgrims, Puritans, Mayflower Compact, and Massachusetts

Pilgrims

• Leader: William Bradford
• Context: 1500s-1600s in England
  • King of England mandated Anglican Church membership
  • Non-Anglicans faced persecution
• Reason for Leaving: Seeking religious freedom due to persecution
• Journey:
  • Contacted Virginia Company of London for permission to move to Jamestown
  • Ended up off track, landing in Plymouth Colony instead of Virginia

Mayflower Compact

• Created in: 1620
• Significance: First self-government in America
• Comparison:
  • Similar to House of Burgesses (Representative Government)
  • Everyone votes directly on issues unlike the monarchy in England
• Challenges:
  • Settling in a region with cold climate and rocky soil
  • Relied on help from friendly Native Americans for farming and hunting
  • Practiced subsistence farming rather than cash crops

Puritans

• Leader: John Winthrop
• Reason for Leaving: Persecution in England, seeking religious freedom
• Settlement: Massachusetts Bay Colony (near present-day Boston)
• Religious Practices:
  • Strict adherence to Puritan faith
  • Did not extend religious freedom to others
• Dissenters:
  • Thomas Hooker: Left to establish Connecticut
  • Roger Williams & Anne Hutchinson: Left to establish Rhode Island for religious freedom

Key Takeaways

• 1620: Year the Mayflower Compact was established
• Religious Freedom: Both Pilgrims and Puritans sought this in America
• Mayflower Compact: Important as the first self-governing document in America