Colonial America

In a time when numerous countries were beginning to explore the new and exciting land of North America during the Age of Exploration, and groups of people from England and Spain were fleeing their home countries either for religious freedom or wealth, vast and civilized colonies began to form all throughout the New World. It is in this context that the colonies founded by the English and the Spanish began to develop and grow. There was a significant difference between the Spanish and New England colonies between 1492 and 1700 in terms of the treatment of indigenous people, and there were some immense similarities between the two colonies in terms of the role of religion in their society and the

During the sixteenth century European pilgrims migrated across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in North America. North America had just been introduced to the Western Civilization. The America’s were home to the indigenous people, that were made up of several tribes that were called Indians by the early settlers. Together the Indians and settlers began to thrive. Growth and development in the new world was made possible by the abundant amount of natural resources.

America’s autonomy has many issues, but one of the problems has been solved by colonist that Britain cloud not solve very well like religious toleration and separation from church and state. In the mid 1600 century, Europe was subjugated by Christian principles. The colonies, mainly people in Massachusetts, were refugees escaping Britain’s persecution, which were the Puritan. The Puritans and their government system believe that the religion and political area should be separated. However, as time went on, it was clear that Puritans did not distinct civil

While the Chesapeake and New England colonies were similarly the earliest successful English colonies in North America, the colonies developed quite independently of each other. When looking at the differences and similarities in the development of these colonies, it seems as though the differences far outweigh the similarities. These colonies varied in regards to their religious beliefs, their societal organization, culture, economy, and relationships with local American Indians. The differences and similarities between the colonies can be further understood by analyzing the individual colonies’ geography, economy, religious beliefs, and cultural practices.

It is a fairly well known fact that the colonization of the New World in general, and more specifically, what would become eventually become the United States of America, was heavily based upon commercial endeavors. However, it was also heavily influenced by the desire of people to possess and preserve religious independence. Placing the potential for commercial success aside and focusing on the religious aspects of colonization, the proliferation of various religions over the course of colonial history is quite extensive and, by proxy, its’ influence upon developing colonial societies was far-reaching. Because of the historical significance of many different religions throughout the colonies, it would also suggest that religious diversity was likely equally impactful in eliciting change. All of this leads this author to speculate about how much influence religion had upon colonial upheaval over time and whether or not the ensuing dissent was a major factor in the lead up to The French and Indian War and eventual revolution of the American colonies. To uncover the significance and role religion played in the American colonies, a number of different articles were reviewed, each representing different perspectives, points of view, and empirical evidence about religion in colonial America.

This paper offers an inside look at how the New England and the mid-Atlantic colonies lived, out of the thirteen that settled, the different events that led to their upbringing, religious identities, and their day to day lifestyles. Rather, if it was a small difference that the colonist who lived in the same region were not living the same way their neighbor was, it may have also taken generations for the colonist to get things up and running, but along the way they learn what is needed to make their new living situation work.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Europeans rapidly colonized the newly discovered Americas. England particularly sent numerous groups to colonize the eastern coast of North America. These groups separated into two regions - the Chesapeake and New England Colonies. The differences between the two colonies as it relates to their reasons for emigration, their economies, and their religious practices were distinct. Many of these original differences have faded into our collective history but many are still evident today. These differences provide insight into where we’ve come from, who we are as a nation, and where we may be headed.

In a sermon delivered aboard the ship Arbella, future-New England governor John Winthrop declared that the new colony "...shall be as a city upon a hill” with “the eyes of all people upon us” (1630) . Evidently, Winthrop’s sermon held great significance for the colonists of the Massachusetts Bay Colony as this sentiment – that is, to be an illuminated, moral example to the Old and New World – remained foundational to the development of their lives in the New World. Thus, it is clear that religion was tremendously significant in the lives of the northern colonists –known as ‘Puritans’ or ‘Separatists’ – particularly in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries following colonial expansion into the New World. The colonies – Plymouth, Connecticut,

Colonial America’s history from European settlement to the revolutionary war is a story that is best understood when told from multiple perspectives. It is a history that is not one of just the European immigrants, but also the African Americans and American Indians as well, with each ethnic group playing their own role in the development of the region. Although each group’s perspective may not be the same, their collective history is what makes Colonial America. Thus, through analyzing the various historical events and accounts of each of these groups, it can be determined that the history of Colonial America is one of liberty, opportunities, slavery and dispossession.

European Christians often felt it was their duty to convert people to Christianity when possible, and they certainly considered themselves better than non-Christians. Despite England’s break with the Catholic Church, and their subsequent establishment of the Church of England, conversion, specifically to Protestantism, was important to the upper classes of English society. This can be seen specifically in the First Charter of Virginia, which states, “We…hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, and may in time bring the Infidels and Savages, living in those parts, to human Civility, and to a settled and quiet Government…” However, economic advancement was equally important to the colonists and to the government, because of the deforestation, unemployment and overpopulation problems in England at the time. A deeper understanding of the colonists’ world view, based in Christianity, and their desire for economic advancement are necessary to uncover the exact ways these views came to odds with the Powhatan’s very different outlook on the world, religion, and

Colonial America’s social life was probably the most interesting aspect of their new lives. They had two main laws by which to live by; The Moral Law and the Law of Grace. According to the Moral Law, every man was to love his neighbor, and help in times of want or distress. However the Law of Grace, calls men to put a difference between Christians and others.

The study of faith in colonial America is one of the most well established historiographies in the field, but much like Atlantic history it has gone through several iterations over the years. An excellent Starting point is William Warren Sweet’s Religion in Colonial America is an excellent example of old school longue duree history, covering the span of 300 hundred years in an attempt to catalog every Religion in early America. Widely considered a starting reference for any study of

From the first settlers in the New World, religion had a place in this country. While Puritans had a foothold, it wasn’t until the mid-eighteenth century that religion became tightly woven into the fabric of the fledgling Nation. This essay will address the rise of Methodism in the United States; the growth of the evangelicals and the highlights of the politically charged aspects of religion in America from the mid-18th century to the Civil War. While there have been many events occur around politics and religion in America, the two that hold the most significance were African Americans being brought into the fold of the evangelical Church and the Civil War.

The bond between the colonies and the nation had reformed from the productive trade to the armed battle. Religion help out to form the colonial society. Comparing the ways it did so in the following regions: Chesapeake, New England (Virginia and the South), and Middle Atlantic. Religion had played a large part in history, and in change of the colonization of America, the spiritual beliefs had been very important.

At the start of Americas in 1604 was the separatist, people who revolted against the church of England. They left England insight of religious freedoms to practice what they believed in. As time soon passed on more and more people traveled or where sent to New England for various reasons. Over the course of years’ thousands of people had soon accumulated in New England, rising the population counts to well over 50,000. This colony had no government other than the one they once came from. So the colonies where reliant on the English government to solve the resolutions they need. A though England was a whole Atlantic sea away, it took time for things to come back the colonies almost 7 months to a year (McKeown, Michael). Being so far Caused a