The new king William III established the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1691 to govern a territory roughly equivalent to the modern states of Massachusetts and Maine. Its governors were appointed by the crown, unlike the predecessor colonies that had elected their own governors.
Full Answer
What is the Massachusetts Bay Colony government?
Loading... The Massachusetts Bay Colony Government (more formally The Colony of Massachusetts Bay, 1628–1692) was an English settlement on the east coast of America in the 17th century around the Massachusetts Bay, the northernmost of the several colonies later reorganized as the Province of Massachusetts Bay.
What is the history of the boundaries of Massachusetts?
The history of the boundaries of Massachusetts is somewhat complex and covers several centuries. Land grants made to various groups of early colonists, mergers and secessions, and settlements of various boundary disputes all had a major influence on the modern definition of the Commonwealth.
Who were the first settlers in Massachusetts?
The first settlers in Massachusetts were the Pilgrims who established Plymouth Colony in 1620 and developed friendly relations with the Wampanoag people. This was the second permanent English colony in America following Jamestown Colony.
What was the first settlement in the New England colonies?
The Pilgrim Fathers who sailed on the Mayflower established the first permanent settlement in 1620 at Plymouth Colony which set precedents but never grew large. A large-scale Puritan migration began in 1630 with the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and that spawned the settlement of other New England colonies.
What type of government did the Massachusetts colony have?
IN THE 1630S, ENGLISH PURITANS IN MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY CRE- ATED A SELF-GOVERNMENT THAT WENT FAR BEYOND WHAT EXISTED IN ENGLAND. SOME HISTORIANS ARGUE THAT IT WAS A RELIGIOUS GOVERNMENT, OR THEOCRACY.
What helped establish the government of Massachusetts?
the Mayflower Compact of 1620The Pilgrims established a government of sorts under the Mayflower Compact of 1620, which enshrined the notion of the consent of the governed.
How did the Massachusetts colony form?
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded by the owners of the Massachusetts Bay Company, including investors in the failed Dorchester Company, which had established a short-lived settlement on Cape Ann in 1623. The colony began in 1628 and was the company's second attempt at colonization.
Why was the Massachusetts government created?
Royal Assent: King George III pronounced Royal Assent of the Massachusetts Government Act on May 20, 1774. Purpose: The purpose of the Massachusetts Government Act was to punish the people of Massachusetts for their rebellious behavior and actions, including the Boston Tea Party.
What kind of government did the Puritans in Massachusetts Bay create quizlet?
King Charles gave the Puritans a right to settle and govern a colony in the Massachusetts Bay area. The colony established political freedom and a representative government.
What form of government did the Pilgrims create?
Under his leadership, Plymouth Colony started to thrive. As more and more settlers arrived and colonized the surrounding areas, a General Court was established. Each town elected representatives to attend the court, thereby creating an early representative government.
What made the colony of Massachusetts unique?
As was common in the New England Colonies, the Massachusetts Colony was dominated by Puritans and there was no tolerance for other religions. Natural resources in the Massachusetts Colony included forests (timber), furs, fish, whales, and some farming.
Why was the Massachusetts Bay formed quizlet?
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded to protect what people? Puritans wanted to escape mistreatment by the government in England. These Puritans formed the Massachusetts Bay Colony and moved to New England in 1630.
Why was the Massachusetts Bay Colony so successful immediately?
Why did the Massachusetts Bay Colony succeed? It was due largely to the fact that her people were deeply rooted in the teachings of the Bible, and they all had a much broader purpose in mind. TEST-What was the Puritans' main reason for teaching kids how to read? TEST-Why was Harvard College founded?
What did the Massachusetts government do?
Second, the Massachusetts Government Act abrogated the colony's charter of 1691, reducing it to the level of a crown colony, replacing the elective local council with an appointive one, enhancing the powers of the military governor, Gen. Thomas Gage, and forbidding town meetings without approval.
What type of government did Massachusetts have in 1620?
Plymouth ColonyGovernmentAutonomous self-governing colonyGovernor• 1620–1621John Carver (first)• 1689–1692Thomas Hinckley (last)20 more rows
What type of government did the New England colonies have?
theocraticThe government of the New England colonies was primarily theocratic, meaning it was religiously based. Only men could participate in the government, and they had to attend the local church to do so.
What did Massachusetts Government Act change?
Second, the Massachusetts Government Act abrogated the colony's charter of 1691, reducing it to the level of a crown colony, replacing the elective local council with an appointive one, enhancing the powers of the military governor, Gen. Thomas Gage, and forbidding town meetings without approval.
How did the Massachusetts Government Act change the government?
The Massachusetts Government Act put the election of most government officials under the control of the Crown, essentially eliminating the Massachusetts charter of government. Quartering Act. Parliament broadened its previous Quartering Act (1765). British troops could now be quartered in any occupied dwelling.
How did the Massachusetts Government Act change the way Massachusetts was governed quizlet?
How did the Massachusetts Government Act of 1774 change the way Massachusetts was governed? It put a military government in place. It created the position of royal governor.
What type of government did Massachusetts have in 1620?
Plymouth ColonyGovernmentAutonomous self-governing colonyGovernor• 1620–1621John Carver (first)• 1689–1692Thomas Hinckley (last)20 more rows
When was Massachusetts colonized?
The area that is now Massachusetts was colonised by English settlers in the early 17th century and became the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the 18th century. Before that, it was inhabited by a variety of Indian tribes.
Who were the first settlers of Massachusetts?
The first settlers in Massachusetts were the Pilgrims who established Plymouth Colony in 1620 and developed friendly relations with the Wampanoag people. This was the second permanent English colony in America following Jamestown Colony. The Pilgrims had migrated from England to Holland to escape religious persecution for rejecting England's official church. They were allowed religious liberty in Holland, but they gradually became concerned that the next generation would lose their distinct English heritage. They approached the Virginia Company and asked to settle "as a distinct body of themselves" in America. In the fall of 1620, they sailed to America on the Mayflower, first landing near Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod. The area did not lie within their charter, so the Pilgrims created the Mayflower Compact before landing, one of America's first documents of self-governance. The first year was extremely difficult, with inadequate supplies and very harsh weather, but Wampanoag sachem Massasoit and his people assisted them.
What tribes lived in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family such as the Wampanoag, Narragansetts, Nipmucs, Pocomtucs, Mahicans, and Massachusetts. The Vermont and New Hampshire borders and the Merrimack River valley was the traditional home of the Pennacook tribe. Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and southeast Massachusetts were the home of the Wampanoags who established a close bond with the Pilgrim Fathers. The extreme end of the Cape was inhabited by the closely related Nauset tribe. Much of the central portion and the Connecticut River valley was home to the loosely organized Nipmucs. The Berkshires were the home of both the Pocomtuc and the Mahican tribes. Narragansetts from Rhode Island and Mahicans from Connecticut Colony were also present.
Why did the New England colonies use paper money?
In 1690, the Massachusetts Bay Colony became the first to issue paper money in what would become the United States, but soon others began printing their own money as well. The demand for currency in the colonies was due to the scarcity of coins, which had been the primary means of trade. Colonies' paper currencies were used to pay for their expenses and lend money to the colonies' citizens. Paper money quickly became the primary means of exchange within each colony, and it even began to be used in financial transactions with other colonies. However, some of the currencies were not redeemable in gold or silver, which caused them to depreciate. With the Currency Act of 1751, the British parliament limited the ability of the New England colonies to issue fiat paper currency. Under the 1751 act, the New England colonial governments could make paper money legal tender for the payment of public debts (such as taxes), and could issue bills of credit as a tool of government finance, but barred the use of paper money as legal tender for private debts. Under continued pressure from the British merchant-creditors who disliked being paid in depreciated paper currency, the subsequent Currency Act of 1764 banned the issuance of bills of credit (paper money) throughout the colonies. Colonial governments used workarounds to accept paper notes as payment for taxes and pressured Parliament to repeal the prohibition on paper money as legal tender for public debts, which Parliament ultimately did in 1773.
What was the name of the province that the king of England established in 1691?
The new king William III established the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1691 to govern a territory roughly equivalent to the modern states of Massachusetts and Maine.
Why did the Pilgrims come to Massachusetts?
The Puritans strongly dissented from the theology and church polity of the Church of England, and they came to Massachusetts for religious freedom. The Bay Colony was founded under a royal charter, unlike Plymouth Colony. The Puritan migration was mainly from East Anglia and southwestern regions of England, with an estimated 20,000 immigrants between 1628 and 1642. Massachusetts Bay colony quickly eclipsed Plymouth in population and economy, the chief factors being the large influx of population, more suitable harbor facilities for trade, and the growth of a prosperous merchant class.
What led to the revocation of the Massachusetts charter in 1684?
These political and trade issues led to the revocation of the Massachusetts charter in 1684. The king established the Dominion of New England in 1686 to govern all of New England, and to centralize royal control and weaken local government.
What is the center of Massachusetts?
The geographic center of Massachusetts is in the town of Rutland, in central Worcester County. [2] . The Quabbin Reservoir (formed by the dammed Swift River —a former Connecticut River tributary), borders the western side of the county; it is the main water supply for Greater Boston.
Why is Massachusetts called the Bay State?
Massachusetts is nicknamed "The Bay State" because of several large bays, which distinctly shape its coast: Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay, to the east; Buzzards Bay, to the south; and several cities and towns on the Massachusetts–Rhode Island border sit adjacent to Mount Hope Bay.
How much precipitation does Massachusetts get?
Boston averages 43 inches (1,100 mm) of precipitation annually, with a maximum monthly average of 4.3 inches (110 mm) in November and a minimum monthly average of 2.9 inches (74 mm) in July. Springfield, in the Pioneer Valley, averages 45.8 inches (1,160 mm) of annual precipitation, with a 4.6 inches (120 mm) maximum monthly average in June and a 2.7 inches (69 mm) minimum monthly average in February. Interior Massachusetts tends to have a summer precipitation maximum due to convection in air masses heated over the interior, which gives rise to frequent thunderstorms. These occur less frequently over the coast, due to the relative lack of convection over the cooler ocean waters. On the other hand, cold, dry air masses over the interior of the state tend to suppress winter precipitation.
What is the suburb of Boston?
Boston's suburbs stretch as far west as the City of Worcester in Central Massachusetts. Central Massachusetts encompasses Worcester County, which is hilly and rocky. It features the urban city of Worcester, and the smaller cities of Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, and Southbridge.
Why are moose and bears returning to Massachusetts?
In more rural areas in the western part of the state, larger mammals such as moose and black bears have returned, largely due to reforestation following the regional decline in agriculture. Massachusetts is located along the Atlantic Flyway, a major route for migratory waterfowl along the Atlantic coast.
How many cities are there in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has 351 cities and towns. Every part of the state is within an incorporated city or town, but many towns include large rural areas. The state's 14 counties have few government functions and serve as little more than judicial districts.
What is the difference between Boston and Massachusetts?
Central Massachusetts features rolling, rocky hills, while Western Massachusetts encompasses a fertile valley and mountains surrounding the Connecticut River, as well as the Berkshire Mountains . Boston is Massachusetts' largest city, at the inmost point of Massachusetts Bay, the mouth of the Charles River.
Who were the first English settlers to the New England colonies?
The first English emigrants to what would become the New England colonies were a small group of Puritan separatists, later called the Pilgrims , who arrived in Plymouth in 1620 to found Plymouth Colony.
When did the first English settle in North America?
The first English settlement in North America had actually been established some 20 years before, in 1587, when a group of colonists (91 men, 17 women and nine children) led by Sir Walter Raleigh settled on the island of Roanoke. Mysteriously, by 1590 the Roanoke colony had vanished entirely. Historians still do not know what became of its inhabitants.
What colony did Puritans form?
As the Massachusetts settlements expanded, they generated new colonies in New England. Puritans who thought that Massachusetts was not pious enough formed the colonies of Connecticut and New Haven (the two combined in 1665). Meanwhile, Puritans who thought that Massachusetts was too restrictive formed the colony of Rhode Island, where everyone–including Jewish people–enjoyed complete “liberty in religious concernments.” To the north of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, a handful of adventurous settlers formed the colony of New Hampshire.
What did the Jamestown colonists learn?
It was not until 1616, when Virginia’s settlers learned how to grow tobacco, that it seemed the colony might survive. The first enslaved African arrived in Virginia in 1619.
How many ships did the London Company send to Virginia?
Mysteriously, by 1590 the Roanoke colony had vanished entirely. Historians still do not know what became of its inhabitants. In 1606, just a few months after James I issued its charter, the London Company sent 144 men to Virginia on three ships: the Godspeed, the Discovery and the Susan Constant.
What was the name of the colony that was named after William Penn?
Penn’s North American holdings became the colony of “Penn’s Woods,” or Pennsylvania.
What are the 13 colonies?
That story is incomplete–by the time Englishmen had begun to establish colonies in earnest, there were plenty of French, Spanish, Dutch and even Russian colonial outposts on the American continent–but the story of those 13 colonies (New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia ) is an important one. It was those colonies that came together to form the United States.
Which colony had a charter form of government?
Massachusetts had a charter form of government, was mostly Puritan, and had primarily small merchant or craftsman communities. Virginia was a crown colony, Anglican, and had large farms. Life expectancy was longer in New England because of fewer diseases and a society built around close family units.
Why did the absence of mosquitoes affect life in New England?
It is thought that the absence of mosquito-borne diseases and the close-knit familial structure of society helped to prolong life expectancy in New England. This was not the case further south in the Chesapeake colonies. The warmer climate there fostered more diseases, notably malaria and yellow fever.
Overview
Boundaries
The history of the boundaries of Massachusetts is somewhat complex and covers several centuries. Land grants made to various groups of early colonists, mergers and secessions, and settlements of various boundary disputes all had a major influence on the modern definition of the Commonwealth. Disputes arose due to both overlapping grants, inaccurate surveys (creating a difference betw…
Before European settlement
Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family such as the Wampanoag, Narragansetts, Nipmucs, Pocomtucs, Mahicans, and Massachusetts. The Vermont and New Hampshire borders and the Merrimack River valley was the traditional home of the Pennacook tribe. Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and southeast Massachusetts were the home of the Wamp…
Pilgrims and Puritans: 1620–1629
The first settlers in Massachusetts were the Pilgrims who established Plymouth Colony in 1620 and developed friendly relations with the Wampanoag people. This was the second permanent English colony in America following Jamestown Colony. The Pilgrims had migrated from England to Holland to escape religious persecution for rejecting England's official church. They were allowed religiou…
Massachusetts Bay Colony: 1628–1686
The Pilgrims were followed by Puritans who established the Massachusetts Bay Colony at Salem (1629) and Boston (1630). The Puritans strongly dissented from the theology and church polity of the Church of England, and they came to Massachusetts for religious freedom. The Bay Colony was founded under a royal charter, unlike Plymouth Colony. The Puritan migration was mainly from East …
Dominion of New England: 1686–1692
In 1660, King Charles II was restored to the throne. Colonial matters brought to his attention led him to propose the amalgamation of all of the New England colonies into a single administrative unit. In 1685, he was succeeded by James II, an outspoken Catholic who implemented the proposal. In June 1684, the charter of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was annulled, but its government continued to rule until James appointed Joseph Dudley to the new post of President …
Royal Province of Massachusetts Bay: 1692–1774
In 1691, William and Mary chartered the Province of Massachusetts Bay, combining the territories of Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Maine, Nova Scotia (which then included New Brunswick), and the islands south of Cape Cod. For its first governor they chose Sir William Phips. Phips came to Boston in 1692 to begin his rule, and was immediately thrust into the witchcraft hysteria in Salem…
Revolutionary Massachusetts: 1760s–1780s
Massachusetts was a center of the movement for independence from Great Britain, earning it the nickname, the "Cradle of Liberty". Colonists here had long had uneasy relations with the British monarchy, including open rebellion under the Dominion of New England in the 1680s. The Boston Tea Party is an example of the protest spirit in the early 1770s, while the Boston Massacre escalated th…