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The growing colonies in Massachusetts and Virginia could not have been more different from each other, and it is remarkable they eventually joined the same country.  Massachusetts was highly religious and motivated by faith.  Virginia was marginally religious and motivated by money.  Massachusetts, more religious, had vocal opponents of slavery and neighboring Vermont was the first state to prohibit slavery in its Constitution, in 1777.  In contrast, Virginia welcomed slavery.  Massachusetts grew the Indian crop of corn.  Virginia grew the Indian crop of tobacco.  Massachusetts settlers made greater efforts to get along with Indians and treat them fairly.  Massachusetts attracted new settlers based on religion.  Virginia attracted new European settlers based on the "headright system," by which land (usually 50 acres) was given to those who paid for the passage to the colony of an immigrant, who usually agreed to work as an "indentured servant" for free for fixed number of years on the land.   

The growing colonies in Massachusetts and Virginia could not have been more different from each other, and it is remarkable they eventually joined the same country.  Massachusetts was highly religious and motivated by faith.  Virginia was marginally religious and motivated by money.  Massachusetts, more religious, had vocal opponents of slavery and neighboring Vermont was the first state to prohibit slavery in its Constitution, in 1777.  In contrast, Virginia welcomed slavery.  Massachusetts grew the Indian crop of corn.  Virginia grew the Indian crop of tobacco.  Massachusetts settlers made greater efforts to get along with Indians and treat them fairly.  Massachusetts attracted new settlers based on religion.  Virginia attracted new European settlers based on the "headright system," by which land (usually 50 acres) was given to those who paid for the passage to the colony of an immigrant, who usually agreed to work as an "indentured servant" for free for fixed number of years on the land.   

While the Virginia institution of slavery was spreading to the colonies of [[Maryland]], [[Carolina]] and, later, [[Georgia]], [[Massachusetts]] was spreading a different sort of institution: religious intensity.  [[Roger Williams]] was an extraordinary individual of such great faith that he found even the Puritans to be lacking in their treatment of Indians.  Williams also disagreed with how the Puritans combined government and religion, and how the Puritans had executed several Christians based on differences with the Puritan faith.  Williams was fabulous with languages and learned to communicate with many different Indian tribes, and even lived with them at times in spite of the danger.  He left the Puritans in Massachusetts and started the colony of Rhode Island, which to this day has prided itself on its independence.  Rhode Island was the only state to refuse to support a colonial tax on imports after the Revolution, and the only colony to refuse to ratify the Constitution until long after [[George Washington]] was President.  Rhode Island, under Roger Williams' direction, separated state government from religion.  It had no mandatory church attendance, and no funding of churches with tax revenues was allowed in Rhode Island.   

While the Virginia institution of slavery was spreading to the colonies of [[Maryland]], [[Carolina]] and, later, [[Georgia]], [[Massachusetts]] was spreading a different sort of institution: religious intensity.  [[Roger Williams]] was an extraordinary individual of such great faith that he found even the Puritans to be lacking in their treatment of Indians.  Williams also disagreed with how the Puritans combined government and religion, and how the Puritans had punished by death several Christians based on differences with the Puritan faith.  Williams was fabulous with languages and learned to communicate with many different Indian tribes, and even lived with them at times in spite of the danger.  He left the Puritans in Massachusetts and started the colony of Rhode Island, which to this day has prided itself on its independence.  Rhode Island was the only state to refuse to support a colonial tax on imports after the American Revolution.  Rhode Island, under Roger Williams' direction, separated state government from religion.  It had no mandatory church attendance, and no funding of churches with tax revenues was allowed in Rhode Island.   

But while Roger Williams was highly moral, others in Rhode Island made it the biggest importer of slaves in all the colonies.  So censoring religion led to harm.  In contrast, in the larger Massachusetts, taxes funded religious institutions for nearly 200 years, until at least the 1830s.  It successfully prohibited slavery.   

But while Roger Williams was highly moral, others in Rhode Island made it the biggest importer of slaves in all the colonies.  So censoring religion led to harm.  In contrast, in the larger Massachusetts, taxes funded religious institutions for nearly 200 years, until at least the 1830s.  It successfully prohibited slavery.   

Another devout Christian who disagreed with the Puritans, [[Anne Hutchinson]], was tried by them in 1636 for emphasizing "grace" rather than "works", and she was forced to flee.  She escaped the Puritans but was later killed by Indians.  Religious persecution continued in Massachusetts in the mid-1600s: the Baptists were banished in 1651, and the Quakers were expelled or -- when they remained or returned -- they were executed when Puritans hanged them.

Another devout Christian who disagreed with the Puritans, [[Anne Hutchinson]], was tried by them in 1636 for emphasizing "grace" rather than "works", and she was forced to flee.  She escaped the Puritans but was later killed by Indians.  Religious persecution continued in Massachusetts in the mid-1600s: the Baptists were banished in 1651, and the Quakers were expelled or -- when they remained or returned -- they were executed when Puritans hanged them.

The Congregational Church was started by Pilgrims in Plymouth (1620) as Independents.  Like the Puritans themselves, the Congregationalists declined over time due dispersal of the population on farms, the formation of public schools, and perhaps the biggest reason of all, prosperity and the arrogance it often engenders.

The Congregational Church was started by Pilgrims in Plymouth (1620) as Independents.  Like the Puritans themselves, the Congregationalists declined over time due dispersal of the population on farms, the formation of public schools, and perhaps the biggest reason of all, prosperity and the arrogance it often engenders.

Cracks in the Puritan way became clear in the Halfway Covenant of 1657.  This was an agreement (a covenant) achieved at an assembly of Puritans from Massachusetts and Connecticut to allow halfway church membership and baptism for sinners.  Second and third-generation Puritans seemed more interested in money than having the "born again" religious conversion necessary to become a full member of the Puritan Church and to be allowed to baptize their children in the Church.  The Reverend Solomon Stoddard, whose grandson would be [[Jonathan Edwards]] (whom we will discuss in the next class), proposed partial or '''''"halfway" membership''''' in the Church of children and grandchildren of Church members.  All the children and grandchildren need do was accept the Covenant and agree to the beliefs and rules of the Church, in order to participate in the sacraments of the Church.  But they would not be allowed to vote on any Church issues until they had a spiritual conversion.  This "halfway covenant" was adopted, but continued to be resisted by people on both sides of the issue:  some who thought it was too lenient, and others opposed it as too strict.

Cracks in the Puritan way became clear in the Halfway Covenant of 1657.  This was an agreement (a covenant) achieved at an assembly of Puritans from Massachusetts and Connecticut to allow halfway church membership and baptism for sinners.  Second and third-generation Puritans seemed more interested in money than having the "born again" religious conversion necessary to become a full member of the Puritan Church and to be allowed to baptize their children in the Church.  The Reverend Solomon Stoddard, whose grandson would be [[Jonathan Edwards]] (whom we will discuss in the next class), proposed partial or '''''"halfway" membership''''' in the Church of children and grandchildren of Church members.  All the children and grandchildren need do was accept the Covenant and agree to the beliefs and rules of the Church, in order to participate in the sacraments of the Church.  But they would not be allowed to vote on any Church issues until they had a spiritual conversion.  This "halfway covenant" was adopted, but continued to be resisted by people on both sides of the issue:  some who thought it was too lenient, and others opposed it as too strict.

One prominent textbook claims, under "Rhode Island," that "This belief [by Roger Williams] in the separation of church and state became a cornerstone of the American Constitution in 1787."  That is overstated.  Roger Williams was long dead by 1787, and there is no separation of church and state in the Constitution.  Rhode Island did not even send any representatives to draft the Constitution and it had no role in the drafting of the Bill of Rights.  In fact, Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until after George Washington was elected president, and even then Rhode Island only reluctantly ratified the Constitution.  The First Amendment (in the Bill of Rights) prohibits only the establishment of a national church by the government, not the support of religion by state governments.  Also, Rhode Island was the '''only''' colony that had a "separation" of church and state.  Other colonies, such as Massachusetts, funded religious institutions.

 

One prominent textbook claims, under "Rhode Island," that "This belief [by Roger Williams] in the separation of church and state became a cornerstone of the American Constitution in 1787."  That is completely false.  Roger Williams was long dead by 1787, and there is no separation of church and state in the Constitution.  Rhode Island did not even send any representatives to draft the Constitution and it had no role in the drafting of the Bill of Rights.  In fact, Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until after George Washington was elected president, and even then Rhode Island only reluctantly ratified the Constitution.  The First Amendment prohibits only the establishment of a national church by the government, not the support of religion by state governments.  Also, Rhode Island was the '''only''' colony that had a "separation" of church and state.  Other colonies, such as Massachusetts, funded religious institutions.

In between Massachusetts and Virginia there was a third approach:  that taken by Pennsylvania.  William Penn was another extraordinary Englishman.  He converted to become a Quaker in England and began practicing that religion in violation of English law.  He was arrested and prosecuted, but the jury refused to convict him.  The king owed his father money, and gave the son what is today Pennsylvania.  It was nothing but woods at the time.  William Penn founded Pennsylvania based on this principle:  religious freedom for all.  He advertised in Europe and attracted peoples of many nationalities in addition to the English.

In between Massachusetts and Virginia there was a third approach:  that taken by Pennsylvania.  William Penn was another extraordinary Englishman.  He converted to become a Quaker in England and began practicing that religion in violation of English law.  He was arrested and prosecuted, but the jury refused to convict him.  The king owed his father money, and gave the son what is today Pennsylvania.  It was nothing but woods at the time.  William Penn founded Pennsylvania based on this principle:  religious freedom for all.  He advertised in Europe and attracted people from many countries in addition to the English.

Penn was very kind to the Indians and soon had the most popular colony in America.  Philadelphia, which means "brotherly love" in Greek, became America's greatest city, surpassing Boston in population in the 1700s.  Only Pennsylvania and Maryland survived long-term under private ownership.  Most of the other colonies were eventually taken over by the King of England, often due to troubles that arose in the colony.

Penn was very kind to the Indians and soon had the most popular colony in America.  Philadelphia, which means "brotherly love" in Greek, became America's greatest city, surpassing Boston in population in the 1700s.  Only Pennsylvania and Maryland survived long-term under private ownership separate from the King of England.  Most of the other colonies were eventually taken over by the King of England, often due to troubles that arose in the colony.

Pennsylvania was founded over 50 years '''after''' Virginia and Massachusetts.  Georgia was founded over 50 years after Pennsylvania, which means over 100 years after Virginia and Massachusetts.  Philanthropist [[James Oglethorpe]] founded Savannah in Georgia in 1733 for poor debtors in jails of England, and to serve as a "buffer" colony to separate protect English South Carolina against possible encroachment by Spanish Florida.  Oglethorpe was very religious and very strict.  Too strict, in fact, for the King of England, who then took over the colony in 1751.  The colony was not nearly as strong and developed as the other colonies, so the other colonies did not take it very seriously.

Pennsylvania was founded over 50 years '''after''' Virginia and Massachusetts.  Georgia was founded over 50 years after Pennsylvania, which means over 100 years after Virginia and Massachusetts.  Philanthropist [[James Oglethorpe]] founded Savannah in Georgia in 1733 for poor debtors in jails of England, and to serve as a "buffer" colony to separate protect English South Carolina against possible encroachment by Spanish Florida.  Oglethorpe was religious and strict.  Too strict, in fact, for the King of England, who then took over the colony in 1751.  The colony was not nearly as strong and developed as the other colonies, so the other colonies did not take it very seriously.

'''Debate: Was it right for Europeans to settle on land where Native Americans already lived?'''

'''Debate: Was it right for Europeans to settle on land where Native Americans already lived?'''