North American Colony the Puritans

¶ … North American Colony

The Puritans who settled in Massachusetts Bay in 1630 represent a model North American colony; in fact, the colony formed the basis of New England colonies for generations. The colony began in England as a trading venture, and grew into a group of Puritans anxious for religious freedom. New settlements fanned out from the colony (which became Boston), and included Lexington, Cambridge, Charlestown, and Watertown, among others. All were based on the same religious principles and ideals. For example, in order to share in the profits of the colony, one had to be a "freeman," or member of the Church.

The Massachusetts Bay colony was a model for a number of other reasons, too. The people stayed, and were successful in creating other successful colonies. It took the best of British custom and culture and blended it with the New World to create a new way of thinking. It was in Boston that the roots of the Revolution took hold and spread, and Boston was the core of the colony. It is interesting to note that even extremely early in the nation's history, there were color lines and lifestyle lines drawn between North and South. North was a stronghold of strict religious and moral belief, controlling the population and their actions, while the South was more open, plantation based, and already importing slaves. The color lines were already drawn, leading to an inevitable conclusion in 1860.