Unit 1 APUSH
Unit 1 Essay
Analyze the extent to which religious freedom existed in the British colonies before 1700
Prior to the year 1700, the aspect of religion played an enormous role in the British colonies. Religious freedom and toleration was an issue in all the colonies for quite some time. From the northern colonies where religious toleration was very strict, to the southern colonies where it was more lenient, religious freedom varied from colony to colony, but was generally little to none. Out of all the regions in the British colonies, the New England colonies were by far the most rigorous and freedom-restricting when to came to religion. Other than the Rhode Island colony, non-puritans were not allowed in the New England colonies. If you were not a Puritan, but still decided to live in this region of colonies, you were not allowed to vote, and you would still be required to pay taxes for the Puritan church. The Puritans had countless laws that each individual had to abide by, and severe punishments were given if these laws were not followed. According to The Colonial Williamsburg, citizens were given punishments such as being whipped, being forced to pay fines, being put in stocks, and even being executed for “crimes” as little as being sick on Sabbath day, publicly kissing, or even dancing on religious days. John Winthrop, founder of the Massachusetts Bay colony, and strong Puritan leader, believed that he was doing good in enforcing all these rules and laws. In A Model of Christian Charity, Winthrop expresses his beliefs by stating, “...first upon the wicked in moderating and restraining them…”. Roger Williams, a Puritan preacher, had a little bit of trouble with the Puritan law. Williams strongly believed in separation of church and state. In his “A Plea for Religious Liberty”, he states that “an enforced uniformity of religion throughout a nation or civilized state, confounds the civil and religious, denies the principles of Christianity and civility, and
Analyze the extent to which religious freedom existed in the British colonies before 1700
Prior to the year 1700, the aspect of religion played an enormous role in the British colonies. Religious freedom and toleration was an issue in all the colonies for quite some time. From the northern colonies where religious toleration was very strict, to the southern colonies where it was more lenient, religious freedom varied from colony to colony, but was generally little to none. Out of all the regions in the British colonies, the New England colonies were by far the most rigorous and freedom-restricting when to came to religion. Other than the Rhode Island colony, non-puritans were not allowed in the New England colonies. If you were not a Puritan, but still decided to live in this region of colonies, you were not allowed to vote, and you would still be required to pay taxes for the Puritan church. The Puritans had countless laws that each individual had to abide by, and severe punishments were given if these laws were not followed. According to The Colonial Williamsburg, citizens were given punishments such as being whipped, being forced to pay fines, being put in stocks, and even being executed for “crimes” as little as being sick on Sabbath day, publicly kissing, or even dancing on religious days. John Winthrop, founder of the Massachusetts Bay colony, and strong Puritan leader, believed that he was doing good in enforcing all these rules and laws. In A Model of Christian Charity, Winthrop expresses his beliefs by stating, “...first upon the wicked in moderating and restraining them…”. Roger Williams, a Puritan preacher, had a little bit of trouble with the Puritan law. Williams strongly believed in separation of church and state. In his “A Plea for Religious Liberty”, he states that “an enforced uniformity of religion throughout a nation or civilized state, confounds the civil and religious, denies the principles of Christianity and civility, and