First Colonists Of New England Essay

The first colonists of New England were driven by religious reasons; the settlers were devout Puritans. Their religiousness helped develop New England. John Calvin’s followers, called Puritans wanted to purify and reform the Church of England. The Puritans took their inspiration from Calvinism; they lived their lives of strict devotion. In addition, the Puritans valued their community, where everyone within the community must care for one another. By 1620, many Puritans were anxious to leave England; the king of England wanted to get rid of the Puritans. By doing so, he granted a charter to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where a colony in the northern part of British North America would be established. In the late 1620s, Puritans were convinced to emigrate in order to protect themselves. The emigration of Puritans became known as the Great Migration. From 1629 and 1643, thousands of colonists moved to Massachusetts. Settlers such as farmers, carpenters, textile workers arrived; the settler’s goal in Massachusetts was to build a permanent community. By 1630, the town of Boston was built then settlements spread. Within the new

The Great Awakening was a religious revival during the 1730s and 1740s. There were leaders that attempted to try new things for religious practices. In this religious revival, ministers and their followers were involved. George Whitefield, a well-known English minister in the revival, visited many colonies in North America. There in the colonies, he held revival meetings, resulting with the people in a state of religious joy. During the Great Awakening, the people were told that they could be saved and the choices they make will affect their afterlife. Due to the Great Awakening it impacted North American colonial development because it increased the importance of Christianity from the years of 1730 to 1770; it unified many colonies in North