In this presentation, I took a step back to explore the process of settling a new colony, a big-picture discussion of the colonies we’ve discussed through the lens of 20th Century research on settlement requirements and dynamics. It should surprise no one that a huge factor in success vs. failure deals with psychology and settler Read more about Intelligent Speech 2022 – After Crossing[…]
After the Restoration prompted a bloody revolt by Thomas Venner’s Fifth Monarchist group in London, Charles II cast a wary eye on New England. Meanwhile, regicides Whalley and Goffe had escaped punishment in England to make their home in Massachusetts. The fallout would lead to the end of New Haven as a colony. Patreon BuyMeACoffee Read more about Restoration 2: hopes of paradise lost[…]
While New England’s comfort generally increased in the Cromwell years, Rhode Island suffered from a lagging economy, political divisions and even issues with religious dissidents who worked to destabilize the already unstable colony. Plymouth’s prosperity also waned as trade came to dominate the New England economy. And in the United Colonies, the issue of infant Read more about ECW 31: Frustrations in Rhode Island[…]
The Quaker movement had its origins in the deepest radicalism of Interregnum England. Characterized by the most extreme of religious and political thought, combined with outlandish and belligerent behavior, they were soon the most feared group in the English speaking world. This fear led to persecution which was even intense by the standards of the Read more about ECW 28: Mary Dyer and the earliest Quakers[…]
Featuring an elk that decided to bugle during my recording, this episode discusses the first witch trials in American history. Forty years before the Salem Witch Trials, these happened mostly in Bermuda and Connecticut, with a few in Massachusetts. Bermuda was a disaster, Connecticut had a disaster of a legal system, and over a dozen Read more about ECW 27: Witch trials in the Devil’s Isles[…]
Massachusetts takes over the floundering colony of Maine … or, the floundering colonies of Maine and Lygonia. Full text In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about a colony we haven’t discussed much. We’ll go a little bit into its history, but ultimately we’re bringing Maine into our story just long enough to kill it Read more about ECW 26: Maine[…]
It’s one thing to advocate for change. It’s another, far messier one to actually get an opportunity to implement it. In 1649, New England was experiencing both the rewards and complications of Cromwell’s victory. Introduction Once again, thanks for waiting. I really do appreciate those of you who stuck around this long. And you shouldn’t Read more about ECW 18: The challenges and rewards of victory[…]
The common thread in our last two episodes was that the end of the English Civil War had forced its North American colonies into a defensive position. The world was suddenly very uncertain, and colonies like Virginia and Maryland found themselves having to assess exactly how they would protect their own ways of life in Read more about ECW 16: The Cambridge Platform[…]
Listen on: iTunesSubscribe on Android, Stitcher and more Transcript So, last episode ended with a race. The signers of the Remonstrance of 1646 rushing to get their petition to England to put it in front of Parliament, and the General Court racing to stop them. At stake was the autonomy of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, whether Parliament Read more about ECW 11: The Remonstrance of 1646, pt. 2[…]
Listen on: iTunesSubscribe on Android, Stitcher and more Transcript It is perhaps ironic that the Parliament that New England had done so much to support, soon after it started to win the war, threatened to interfere in the region in an unprecedented and, at least for Boston leadership, alarming way. Introduction To start today’s episode, I thought Read more about ECW 10: Reform, autonomy and the Remonstrance of 1646[…]