British Colonization of Massachusetts Bay, part 4 - The City on a Hill and Rule by the Elect

About this video

• Video Title: British Colonization of Massachusetts Bay, part 4 - The City on a Hill and Rule by the Elect
• Channel: KorwegianHistory
• Speakers: None explicitly named
• Duration: 00:22:30

Overview

This video explains how Puritan non-separatists, facing persecution in England, established the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It details how a joint-stock company's charter was cleverly transformed into a self-governing entity, leading to a society deeply intertwined with Puritan theology, where governance was in the hands of "the elect," and dissent was not tolerated.

Key takeaways

• The Puritan Dilemma: Non-separatist Puritans wished to reform the Church of England from within, but faced increasing opposition and the church moving in a direction contrary to their beliefs.
• A Charter for Self-Governance: The Massachusetts Bay Company obtained a charter intended for fishing, but a clause allowing stockholders to govern wherever the charter physically existed was exploited by the Puritan investors to establish self-rule in America.
• "City on a Hill" Vision: The Puritans aimed to create a model, Godly society in Massachusetts Bay that would serve as an example to England and the world.
• Rule by the Elect: Governance and voting rights in Massachusetts Bay were restricted to "the elect," meaning full church members, creating a theologically driven government.
• Uniformity and Control: To maintain their ideal society, the Puritans enforced religious uniformity through the cooperation of church and state, and dealt harshly with dissenters, both from within and outside the church.
• Roger Williams and Religious Freedom: Roger Williams, a minister who advocated for separation from the Church of England and believed Native Americans owned the land, was banished and founded Providence (Rhode Island), which became the first place in the Western world with true religious freedom and separation of church and state.