Introduction to American Government. Department of Government and Politics at Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT

1. The
Separatists
Become
Pilgrims

2. Rejected Elizabeth I’s
settlement of Anglican
Church: Protestant
doctrine, Catholic
appearance
Believed in freedom of
conscience; set up
churches apart from state

3. Where did the
Separatists, or
Pilgrims as we
refer to them
today, go when
they left
England?

4. Persecution drove
them into exile in
Holland (1608)
Separatist Leaders
John Robinson: Pastor, Teacher
William Brewster: Elder
William Bradford:
Plymouth Governor for 35 years; Author,
Plymouth Plantation

6. Why did the
Pilgrims leave
Holland?

7. o Hard life kept others from joining
o Aging prematurely due to hard work
o Looming end to peace treaty with Spain;
feared Spanish Inquisition
o Children lured away from faith
o Desired proselytization of new part of
world… A Christian Society

8. Robinson’s Farewell Sermon
Societal rank meant little
Leaders elected
Godliness mark of good rulers
Godliness mark of good citizens

9. Mayflower Compact
First American document
of self-government
Character forged
through difficult
circumstances & trials

10. Arrived in MASS November 1620;
set up Plymouth Colony

11. Pilgrims believed God provided
essentials for their survival:
Land cleared before arrival
Essential native help: Samoset, Squanto
50-year peace treaty with Chief
Massasoit of Wampanoag tribe
Return to practice of private property
Drought ended

19. Plymouth incorporated
into Massachusetts in
1691

20. Pilgrims’ Legacy?
 Model of hard work and character
 Private Property Rights
Commitment to self-government in
both church & state
 Small group can start something
big!!

21. The
Puritan’s
City on a
Hill

22. What differences existed
between Separatists &
Puritans?

23. Puritans…
 didn’t object to a state church
 sought to “purify” Anglican church
of its Catholicism
 wanted to dictate type of church
to which all Englishmen should
conform

24. Puritans kept from all
positions of authority
Set up society in New World
to make decisions for
themselves

25. Massachusetts Bay
Company received a
Royal Charter (1629)

26. • 20,000 migrated to New England
through 1630s
• Most were Puritans
• Governance dominated by small
group of Puritan leaders

27. Church
attendance
required to
be a freeman
Person who possesses all civil and
political rights belonging to the people
under a free government.

28. Problem: government not a church;
laws affect everyone; most did not
have a part in the political
process

29. First Governor
Sermon on the Arabella
John Winthrop
(1588-1649)
Mission:
city on a hill
“For we must consider that we
shall be as a city on a hill. The
eyes of all people are upon us, so
that if we deal falsely with our
God in this work we have
undertaken, and so cause Him to
withdraw His present help from
us, we shall be made a story and a
by-word through the world.”

30. Massachusetts Body of
Liberties (1641)
 Written by Rev. Nathaniel Ward
 Considered First American Bill of
Rights

31. Some Specific Provisions:
o Law One: no man’s life, reputation,
freedom, family, or property to be
taken arbitrarily
o Law Two: equality under the law
o Law Eight: property secure against
appropriation by government
o Law Twelve: freedom of speech
o Law Forty-Two: cannot be sentenced
twice for same crime

32. o Law Forty-Three: no excessive
punishments
o Law Forty-Five: no self-incrimination
under torture
o Law Forty-Six: no inhumane,
barbarous, or cruel punishments
o Law Forty-Seven: death sentence
requires two or three witnesses
o Law Fifty-Two: Special privileges
given to children, mental
incompetents, newcomers to colony

33. • Law Eighty-Nine: refuge for
Christians fleeing tyranny, famine,
war
• Law Ninety-One: no slavery allowed,
except captives in a just war, or
those who willingly enter into the
situation; Biblical treatment of
slaves to be observed
• Law Ninety-Four: Scriptural
guidelines for capital punishment

34. • Law Ninety-Five: liberty of
churches
• Law Ninety-Seven: right to
lawsuit if rights abridged
An impressive list of
rights for such a
“bigoted” people!!

35. Dominion of New England
(1685-1688)
 James II revoked all charters
 Made into one giant province with a
royal governor
 Anglicanism promoted
 James overthrown (1688)

36. Allowed CT & RI to retain old
charters
Issued a new charter to MA
Royal governor
Property qualification for
voting, not church membership

37. Colonial
Governments

38. 13 Chartered Colonies, Mid18th Century
Republican
CT
RI
Selfgovernment
Royal
MA
NH
NY
NJ
VA
SC
NC
GA
Proprietary
MD
PA
DE
Privately
Owned

39. Intended as refuge for Catholics
Lord Baltimore named administrator

40. • Given by Duke of York to friends as
administrator

41. Quaker founder: William
Penn (1644-1718)
Goal: haven for
Quakers & anyone else
not allowed liberty of
conscience

42. Dominated by Quakers until mid-1750s;
pacifist beliefs made governing
difficult

43. Philanthropic venture: relieve
pauperism & imprisoned debtors
Restrictions: 500 acres; no strong
drink; no slavery
Failed; became royal colony (1752)