Massachusetts Colony

Plymouth Colony

The colony of Massachusetts was founded in 1620, when the Pilgrims arrived from England and formed the Plymouth Colony. Although the Pilgrims were ravaged by disease and hunger, they managed to write the Mayflower Compact, a local government that established rules and regulations in order to ensure the colony's survival. Upon their arrival, local Wamapanoag Indians, led by Chief Massasoit, taught them to plant crops. About half the original passengers on the Mayflower survived. In 1620, the Pilgrims and Indians celebrated what some consider the first Thanksgiving.

The Rise of the Puritans

Despite his Puritan ties, Williams' own intolerance of the rules, laws and customs of the Puritans caused him, incidentally, to preach for religious tolerance. He argued against the Puritans laws that controlled the populations. He was one of the first to call for the separation of church and state - a law which now forbids the government to use any religion to influence the people.

Massachusetts Colony Articles and Activities

• Cotton Mather Biography
• Squanto Biography
• The Mayflower
• Salem in 1693 Welcome Sign Parody: Use Humor and Metaphor to Create a "Welcome to Salem" Billboard Great Critical Literacy Exercise
• Squanto Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feeback and Score Report)
• Massachusetts Colony Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Life in Puritan Massachusetts Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Life in Puritan Massachusetts Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feeback and Score Report)
• Cotton Mather Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Cotton Mather Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feeback and Score Report)
• King Phillip's War Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• King Phillip's War Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feeback and Score Report)
• Salem Witch Trials Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Salem Witch Trials Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feeback and Score Report)
• Plymouth Colony Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Printable)
• Plymouth Colony Reading Passage and Critical Thinking Multiple Choice Questions (Interactive with Immediate Feeback and Score Report)

13 Colonies Navigation

• Massachusetts Bay Colony
• New Hampshire Colony
• Connecticut Colony
• Rhode Island Colony
• New York Colony
• New Jersey Colony
• Pennsylvania
• Delaware Colony
• Maryland Colony
• Virginia Colony
• North Carolina Colony
• South Carolina Colony
• Georgia Colony

Other 13 Colonies Articles

• Lost Colony at Roanoke
• Popham Colony
• Plymouth Colony
• Establishment of the House of Burgesses
• Life in Puritan Massachusetts
• Who were the Quakers?
• Tobacco in the Southern Colonies
• History of Cotton
• Indigo in the South Carolina Colony
• Highlights of a Colonial Town: Williamsburg
• King Phillip's War