Plymouth Colony

Plymouth Colony was founded by Congregationalists and separatist Anglicans in 1620 on the ground of today the U.S. state of Massachusetts English colony. The religious beliefs of the separatists, on account of which they had been persecuted in England, shaped the social and legal system of the colony ( Mayflower Compact ). The Americans celebrate each year on Thanksgiving Day, the remembrance of the first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims.

Prehistory

In order to escape persecution by the Anglican state church, emigrated 1600, a group of separatists under the leadership of Pastor John Robinson, William Bradford and William Brewster, a church elder, of Scrooby ( Nottinghamshire ) in the Netherlands from, first to Amsterdam, then to Leiden. There, although they enjoyed religious freedom, but were only poorly paid labor. They also feared that their children would alienate their parents. Therefore, part of the separatists in 1619 returned temporarily to England. Provided With a land patent from the London Virginia Company, they arrived a few months later with the ship " Mayflower " in front of the North American coast. On board were also Anglican emigrants, who were called by the separatists "strangers" ( Strangers ). As a strong storm landing in Virginia prevented the land patent was valid but only for this colony, fearing some "foreigners", they would not be treated fairly in the new colony. Therefore authored 41 Congregationalists before landing at Cape Cod ( December 1620 ) the Mayflower Compact ( Mayflower Compact), which laid down that the colony should be governed by fair and valid for all residents in the same way laws.

Beginnings, growth and end the independence of the colony

In their settlement Plymouth died in winter 1620/1621, almost half of the colonists, although they received food from neighboring Indians. Nevertheless, tensions emerged between the two groups. A peace treaty was concluded, and together was in October 1621 the first Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving ) celebrated. Due to the strong influx of other Englishmen it came in the aftermath to military clashes between the settlers and the indigenous people. The end of the now grown to about 7,000 residents Plymouth Colony came in 1691, when it was united to royal statement with the much larger Massachusetts Bay Colony and placed under a Governor sent from England.

Religion

Separatist Congregationalists were a grouping within the Puritan movement in England. Puritans in the strict sense, as they settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, for example, from 1628, remained within the Anglican church, but wanted them all " Catholic " structural elements such as the use of Latin in worship and liturgical vestments, but especially from the episcopate " clean " ( purify ). In contrast, the separatists had completely separated from the Church of England. Theologically, they differed only slightly from the Puritans. Both groups were decided Calvinists. Influenced by the Calvinist federal theology, they were convinced that God is with them a covenant or agreement ( covenant ) is closed and they had among themselves together to form a community of the elect and the redeemed. Out of gratitude and obedience they felt obliged to lead a life as prescribed in their view, the Bible: industry, thrift, duty and responsibility, waiver of luxury and excessive exuberance. But she also did not overdo celebrate festivals such as Thanksgiving. There was a strict church discipline. All colonists, the Anglicans, were obliged to attend church.

( The term Congregationalism therefore congregation ) directly to God or Christ, governed by him ( theocracy ) After Congregational believes is under each parish. The laity are equivalent to the clergy. The parishes have a democratic structure. Pastors, teachers and church elders ( presbyters; parish councils), that laymen are elected by the community and are accountable to it. This church government was made possible theologically by Martin Luther's doctrine of the priesthood of all believers and John Calvin's church order, according to which the church elders are equally involved in the leadership of the community. As Pastor Robinson had remained a part of the community in the Netherlands, the church elder William Brewster led the Separatists in Plymouth until 1629 the newly immigrated from England Pastor Ralph Smith took over this task. As more and more immigrants arrived, grew due to acute priest shortage the importance of the laity even stronger. Often they were the ones who founded new churches, church services held and guaranteed the survival of the communities.

Law and Administration

The Mayflower Compact, a social contract that formed the constitution of the colony. Designed according to the model used, the Congregationalists for the creation of new parishes, he secured a "just " and for all residents of the Plymouth Colony in " equally " valid laws ( "just and equal laws" ) to. The Congregationalists transferred in their parishes practiced representative democracy on the regulation of the mundane affairs of their community. They were convinced that democracy was the divinely willed form of government. were eligible to vote, the "free " ( freemen ), ie the adult male settlers who were economically independent and a good repute had, initially belonged to a number of "foreigners" Later, a religious test was introduced in order to prevent, in particular, that Quaker could obtain the status of freemen the "free " were the " General " (General Court ). . by choice. valid for one year a governor and his seven " wizard " certain re-election was possible. William Bradford was the governor five times ( total of 28 years) and Edward Winslow three times. The General Assembly was the legislature and the judiciary, the governor formed, along with his assistant the executive. This separation of powers followed a recommendation of Calvin, who had to prevent the misuse of political power, or at least minimize, a system of complementary and controlling state bodies proposed.

The laws, the General Assembly adopted on the basis of the Mayflower Treaty, formed a mixture of English common law and the laws of the Bible. They were codified in 1636 in the Book of Laws. When the settlers had in 1625 the debt that they had made with an English joint stock company to finance part of the crossing repaid, they were the sole owners of the colony. Since neither an English trading company nor the king or the London Parliament exercised influence on the colony, this was a representative democracy, a de facto Republic ("self -rule ").

With time, other localities ( towns ) were built and three counties ( counties ) set whose inhabitants were also represented in the General Assembly.

Economy and education

The inhabitants of the Plymouth Colony lived mainly from fur trading and agriculture. They cultivated crops such as corn, pumpkins and potatoes, which took over the settlers of the original population. In addition, commonly used in European crops and livestock were introduced. For topographical reasons and because of the relatively high population density of the area by Native no large estates could arise, so that there were no major social differences. Very few families could afford slaves.

The Reformers it was important that every member could read the Bible themselves. In the first years the parents were required to teach their children to read and write in the colony. Later, public schools have been established.

Historical significance

Each year, Americans remember on the fourth Thursday in November, the Thanksgiving Day, on the first of English expatriates celebrated on American soil Thanksgiving and the beginnings of their nation. The colony was the subject of films and stories. For example, Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel " The Scarlet Letter" ( The Scarlet Letter ) inspired by the events in the Plymouth Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony.