Mr. Nussbaum - Massachusetts Colony

This page tells about the history of the Massachusetts Colony.

Mayflower Compact

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.