The origins of America
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The Treaty of Hartford After a few months of clean-up, taking down various tribes of Pequots and killing the tribe’s remaining warriors, Connecticut met with the Narragansetts and Mohegans to establish peace and distribute the spoils of war. Connecticut claimed the won lands, something which prompted a Read more about Massachusetts Bay 13: The Pequot War pt. 3[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more From Saybrook to Mystic After the Block Island Raid, the Pequots sieged Saybrook, and attacked Wethersfield. Massachusetts and Connecticut declared war, and prepared a surprise attack in the heart of Pequot territory. They marched to the tribe’s biggest fort, Mystic, and over the course of an hour, Read more about Massachusetts Bay 12: The Pequot War pt. 2[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more A series of unfortunate misunderstandings In 1637, the Pequots were a tribe on the decline. A plague had killed 80% of their population, the Dutch had started trading with other tribes, and in a trade dispute, the Dutch had killed their leading sachem – Tatobem. Tatobem’s death had Read more about Massachusetts Bay 11: The Pequot War pt. 1[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Court and synod Four days after New England ministers held a relatively successful synod to determine theological truths, the General Court decided to eliminate the Opinionist movement – however necessary. It kicked out wavering or pro-Opinionist members, and then put John Wheelwright and Anne Hutchinson on trial for Read more about Massachusetts Bay 10: The Antinomian Controversy pt. 3[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Controversy becomes crisis The Antinomian Controversy spread beyond Boston and grew more and more heated in 1637. As it did, it took on similarities to problems at home. Shady political maneuvering, private court cases, considering silencing preachers for dissenting opinions and passing the Alien Law. By August, Read more about Massachusetts Bay 9: The Antinomian Controversy, pt. 2[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The Free Grace Controversy In 1636, Henry Vane was elected governor. Young, intellectual and charismatic, he was an exciting choice for the new colony, and his term started well. He smoothed relations with the mariners who frequented the colony, as conflict over the looming Civil War put Read more about Massachusetts Bay 8: The Antinomian Controversy pt. 1[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more The Saybrook Patent The Earl of Warwick had, in 1631, granted a piece of land in modern Connecticut to a group of his friends and family. He’d lost leadership of the Council for New England as a result of the dubiously legal act, but in 1635, colonists Read more about Episode 7: Connecticut and Rhode Island[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Laud’s investigation When Archbishop Laud investigated the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s activities, he quickly discovered its charter had been moved to America. Alarmed by the quantity and type of people moving to New England, he moved quickly to take over. A permanent commission was created, with final say Read more about Massachusetts Bay 6: The King’s Threat[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Internal dissent and external threats Massachusetts Bay was big enough and wealthy enough to avoid the bulk of the serious physical hardship which had characterized earlier settlements, but its size and political nature led to other concerns. Gorges and the colony’s exiles worked against the Colony’s charter in Read more about Massachusetts Bay 5: Raising the stakes[…]
Listen on: iTunes Subscribe on Android Stitcher and more Years of building With things going well for Puritans in England, migration slowed significantly from 1631-32, and colonists were able to spend their time building the colony. They constructed permanent residences, and a couple new towns, but also the much more complex process of building a commonwealth. They Read more about Massachusetts Bay 4: Commonwealth[…]