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Influence Of The Massachusetts Bay Colonies

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The non-Separatist Puritans secured a royal charter from King Charles I to form the Massachusetts Bay Company in 1629. The Massachusetts Bay Company was planned to be a business venture, but was also used as a refuge for Puritans. The Bay Colony quickly became the biggest and most influential of all of the New England colonies. For many years, the charter was used as a constitution for the Company. Governmental power rested with the General Court, who then elected the governor and his assistants. The right to vote and hold office was limited to male church members. In local affairs, the General Court developed powers and a structure similar to England’s Parliament. It had two houses: the House of Assistants and the House of Deputies. Also,
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