Religious Dissenters
Key Terms
People
Thomas Hooker
John Cotton
Roger Williams
John Winthrop
Anne Hutchinson
Terms
Fundamental orders of Connecticut
Puritans
Hartford
Charter
Antinomianism
Thomas Hooker: The Father of American Democracy (1586-1647)
Thomas Hooker was born of Puritan parents in the county of Leicestershire in 1586.
Leader of universal Christian suffrage
As a University student he studied first at Queens College, Cambridge, but was later given a scholarship to Emmanuel College.
He, along with countless others immigrated to the New World for religious freedom. Thomas Hooker arrived in Massachusetts in 1633.
Thomas Hooker died during an epidemical sickness in 1647, at the age of 61.
Thomas Hooker: Ideas
Thomas Hooker had no objections against the religious teachings of the church.
He believed in the idea that all men should have a voice and vote, not just church members.
Thomas Hooker: Danger to MA Bay
Voting in Massachusetts was limited to freemen.
Hooker disagreed with this limitation of suffrage, which put him at odds with the influential pastor John Cotton.
Owing to his conflict with Cotton and discontented with the suppression of Puritan-suffrage and at odds with the colony leadership, Hooker along with a hundred others left Massachusetts Bay and found the settlement of Hartford in 1936.
Thomas Hooker: The Connecticut Colony
Hartford became the center of the Connecticut Colony.
Religiously, it mirrored Massachusetts Bay, however politically, it allowed more freedom for non-church members.
Thomas Hooker: The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
Sometimes called the first written constitution.
The Orders provided for election of a governor and six magistrates. This body had lawmaking, executive, and judicial power.
Roger Williams
Born in 1603 to James and Alice Williams.
Grew up a Puritan.
Left England in 1630.
Arrived in Boston in 1631
Roger Williams: Beliefs
Religious freedom.
Didn’t approve taking land away from the Native Americans.
Separation of church and state.
Roger William: Outcast
Put on trial in 1635.
Banished.
Bought land.
Started a new colony in present day Rhode Island.
Rhode Island
Established Providence.
Derived from “Rogue Island”.
Based on religious toleration, separation of church and state, and political democracy.
Founded the first Baptist Church.
Anne Hutchinson
Born in Alford, England
Father was imprisoned for criticism towards English church ministers
Became interested to John Cotton’s teachings and preaching of Puritanism
1634 - Followed Cotton and left England to practice Puritanism freely in New England
Massachusetts Bay Colony
Boston was mainly dominated by the Puritan community
Anne began her women’s group that discussed church sermons
Then, she started talking about her different beliefs
Beliefs: salvation is received by grace and inner experience. She was against their idea of works or deeds for the church.
Effect of Anne’s Meetings
John Winthrop became governor and Anne’s followers began to decline
Questioning the church = questioning the state
Anne’s ideas were known as Antinomianism
Antinomianism: belief that Christians are not bound by moral law
In November 1637, Winthrop filed charges against Anne
Aftermath
Anne’s trial – jury found her guilty after she stated that God physically spoke to her. Her punishment was banishment
Anne and her husband left to Roger Williams’ colony in Providence, Rhode Island
Sources
http://www.ushistory.org/us/3f.asp http://digitalpuritan.net/thomas-hooker/ http://www.britannia.com/bios/hooker.html http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h544.html http://billofrightsinstitute.org/resources/educator-resources/americapedia/americapedia-documents/orders-of-connecticut/ http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/colonial/jb_colonial_williams_1.html http://www.rogerwilliams.org/biography.htm http://www.landofthebrave.info/roger-williams.htm http://www.history.com/topics/roger-williams http://www.history.com/topics/anne-hutchinson http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/277653/Anne-Hutchinson http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h577.html
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