New England Colonies

The New England colonies consisted of Massachusetts (note that Maine was formerly Mass.), Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Since they had rocky soil poor for farming and forest full of riches, their economy was not based on agriculture. In fact, it was based on shipbuilding, fishing, and whaling. Also, the New England colonies had town meetings, where they would discuss what was happening in their town. 


Rhode Island
* Founded: 1635 
* Founded by: Rodger Williams 
* Reason founded: Williams disliked the power of the Puritan Church in Massachusetts. 
* Government: Included the belief of the separation of church and state, and all white men had the right to vote.
* Religion: Did not have a state church, and tolerated all religions.
* Economy: Livestock, dairy, fishing, and lumbering industries
* Important documents: The Magna Carta 
* Important residents: Ann Hutchinson 
* Rhode Island communities were founded on freedom, and most communities went to the extreme with this idea. 
* Rhode Island was known for its fierce independence, and is the first colony to guarantee the freedom of worship. 


Connecticut
* Founded: 1636
* Founded by: Thomas Hooker
* Reason founded: Hooker was unhappy in Massachusetts for the control that the Puritan government had 
* Government: All male property owners could vote, and the first constitution was framed by a body of men for their own government 
* Religion: Puritan
* Economy: Wheat, corn, and fishing industries
* Important documents: Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, The Charter Oak(was not a document, used to conceal a charter), and The Magna Carta
* Important residents: John Cotton, John Haynes, The Pequots
* Colonists attended church on Sundays, and men and women were seated separately 
* Connecticut produced the first constitution that actually created a government


Massachusetts
* Founded: 1620, 1630
* Founded by: Pilgrims, Puritans
* Reason founded: Pilgrims- wanted to separate from Church of England, Puritans- wanted to reform the Church
* Government: Had a general court, only male church goers could vote, and colonists held town meetings
* Religion: Strict Protestant
* Economy: Shipping, shipbuilding, whaling, and iron ore industries
* Important documents:  The Mayflower Compact, The Magna Carta
* Important residents: John Winthrop, William Bradford
* Marriage was expected, and there was little play for children
* Massachusetts was the only colony with 2 founding dates


New Hampshire
* Founded: 1623
* Founded by: John Mason
* Reason for founding: Was a planned colony and land was granted to John Mason who sent settlers to make a fishing colony
* Government: Under King George II, they returned to provincial status with Benning as governor from 1741- 1766 
* Religion: Mostly Puritan
* Economy: Water power made it an industrial state to make machinery; textiles, paper products, stone, clay products, and dairy products industries
* Important documents: The Magna Carta
* Important residents: Benning Wentworth (governor), John Mason, Sir Ferdinando Gorges
* New Hampshire was very industrial and made linen goods in industrial towns
* The governor of New Hampshire was under supervision from the Massachusetts governor

Still Curious? Visit this site: http://www.usahistory.info/New-England/


Also, below is a YouTube video with expert Judy Scott. She was an AP History teacher at Boswell High School for 30 years, so she has a lot of experience.

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