Keith Mack
The British North American colonies that formed the United States were settled in the 17th century by people seeking religious freedom from persecution in Europe. The New England colonies, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were established as plantations of religion. The New England colonists, except Rhode Island, were predominantly Puritans, who led strict religious lives. The Puritan leadership, especially in Massachusetts and Connecticut, integrated their version of Protestantism into their political structure. The Toleration Act, enacted by the British Parliament, restored every subject in England's right to worship God according to their conscience, except for Papists. The charter of this province granted liberty of conscience in the worship of God to all Christians except Papists. The ideas of John Locke, who argued for the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and property, were also important to American revolutionaries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Colonists' rights | Right to life, liberty, and property |
| Colonists' natural rights | Worship God according to the dictates of one's conscience |
| Colonists' religious rights | Worship freely, except for Papists |
| Colonists' legal rights | Protection of life, liberty, and property |
| Colonists' political rights | Representation in the British Parliament |
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What You'll Learn
The British Parliament's Toleration Act
The act allowed nonconformists to have their own places of worship, teachers, and preachers, as long as they accepted certain oaths of allegiance and rejected transubstantiation. It also continued existing social and political disabilities for dissenters, including their exclusion from holding political offices and attending universities. The act was seen as a compromise to gain the support of nonconformists during the crucial months of 1688 and to reward Protestant dissenters for their refusal to side with James II.
The Toleration Act was part of a series of acts, including the Bill of Rights 1689, the Crown and Parliament Recognition Act 1689, the Mutiny Act 1689, and later the Act of Settlement 1701 and the Act of Union 1707, that established a new constitutional settlement in England. It demonstrated that the idea of a comprehensive Church of England had been abandoned in favour of tolerating religious division.
The act had a significant impact on the colonies in North America, where many British colonists had settled to escape religious persecution in Europe and sought to create a religious refuge. The colonies, including New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, were established as "plantations of religion," reflecting the religious convictions of their settlers. The Toleration Act provided a legal framework for the colonies to allow freedom of worship and protect the rights of colonists to practise their religious beliefs.
However, it is important to note that the colonies still had varying degrees of religious tolerance and persecution. While some colonies, like Rhode Island, were known for their religious tolerance, others, like Massachusetts and Connecticut, had strict religious laws and enforced religious conformity. The Anglican Church was the state church in colonies like Virginia, where laws mandated attendance at Anglican public worship, and Baptist preachers were arrested and their congregations attacked. The Toleration Act, therefore, represented a step towards religious freedom in the colonies, but the reality on the ground varied, and the struggle for religious liberty continued.
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The importance of John Locke's ideas
John Locke's ideas were pivotal in shaping the laws that allowed colonists to worship freely. Locke's philosophy centred on the concept of natural law and natural rights, which held that certain moral truths applied to all people, regardless of their location or agreements. He viewed individuals as rational beings entitled to think, act, and pursue happiness independently, within the boundaries of natural law. Locke's theory of human nature formed the basis for individual rights and duties towards others, recognising that all individuals were entitled to the same rights and freedoms.
Locke's advocacy for religious freedom and the separation of church and state was particularly influential. He argued that individuals should not surrender their religious freedom when entering a social contract, as their salvation depended on their ability to seek religious truth independently. Locke's critique of the political and religious order of Restoration England, where individuals were legally required to conform to the established church, was significant. He emphasised that true liberty meant individuals could worship according to their conscience, a sentiment echoed in the Toleration Act, which guaranteed the right to worship for all Christians except Papists.
Locke's ideas had a profound impact on the American view of religious liberty. His philosophy contributed to the adoption of the First Amendment and the first state bills of rights, transforming the understanding of religious freedom in the eighteenth century. Locke's defence of religious freedom extended beyond Christianity, recognising the presence of diverse religious groups in the colonies, including Quakers, Catholics, Baptists, and Jews.
The importance of Locke's ideas lies in their influence on shaping colonial laws and policies. His philosophy provided a framework for protecting the inherent rights of individuals to worship freely and challenged the dominance of established churches. Locke's concepts of natural law and natural rights resonated with colonists seeking religious refuge in the New England colonies, which were often referred to as ''Bible Commonwealths" due to the regulation of citizens' lives through scripture.
Overall, John Locke's ideas on freedom of worship were significant in shaping colonial laws and the understanding of religious liberty. His philosophy empowered individuals to think and worship independently, contributing to the development of religious tolerance and the separation of church and state in colonial America.
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The rights of colonists
The New England colonies, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were founded as "plantations of religion", where colonists could worship God according to their own interpretations. The Puritans, for instance, settled predominantly in New England, where they integrated their religious beliefs into the political structure, resulting in a form of theocracy. However, despite their pursuit of religious freedom, the colonists did not always practice religious tolerance among themselves. For instance, while Maryland was initially founded as a Catholic haven, the Catholic leadership's law of religious toleration was repealed when Puritans gained control of the colony's assembly.
The colonists also asserted their rights as British citizens, arguing that they were entitled to the same liberties and privileges as those born in Britain. They questioned the British House of Commons' authority to grant away their property and highlighted their lack of representation in decisions made by the British Parliament. These sentiments laid the groundwork for the colonists' pursuit of independence and the establishment of their own nation, where they could shape laws and govern themselves according to their beliefs and values.
In conclusion, the rights of colonists in British North America were shaped by their desire for religious freedom, legal frameworks such as the Toleration Act, and political ideologies influenced by thinkers like John Locke. The assertion of these rights set the stage for the American Revolution and the creation of a new nation founded on principles of liberty and self-governance.
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The influence of Puritans in New England
The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to rid the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices. They believed that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should embrace more Protestant practices. They were intensely devout members of the Church of England and believed that the state should protect and promote true religion, and that religion should influence politics and social life.
From 1629 to 1642, approximately 21,000 Puritans immigrated to New England, making up the majority of the colonists in the region. The Puritan leadership in Massachusetts and Connecticut integrated their version of Protestantism into their political structure, with their laws assuming that citizens who strayed from conventional religious customs were a threat to civil order and should be punished for their nonconformity. The New England colonies have often been called "Bible Commonwealths" because they sought the guidance of the scriptures in regulating the lives of their citizens. Scripture was cited as authority for many criminal statutes, especially the Old Testament.
The Puritans' beliefs on slavery were that all people, regardless of race, were persons with souls who might receive saving grace. For this reason, slaves and free black people were eligible for full church membership, although meeting houses and burial grounds were racially segregated. The Puritan influence over New England society meant that slaves were treated better in the region than in the Southern Colonies.
In terms of their influence on the wider culture, the Puritans outlawed certain holidays when they came to power in England in 1647, including Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide, considering them Catholic inventions.
Denominations that are directly descended from the Puritan churches of New England include the Congregationalist Churches, the United Church of Christ, the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, and the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.
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![The New England Primer [1777 Edition] (Large Print)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51BQqMg2V7L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
The role of Quakers in Pennsylvania
The Quakers played a significant role in the history of Pennsylvania, with the colony founded by Quaker William Penn in 1681 or 1682. Penn received ownership of Pennsylvania from the King, who owed him money, and he designed the colony's laws to be congenial to Quakers. Penn ensured that no oaths were required in courts or to hold public offices, and Quaker-style marriage ceremonies were made the legal form of marriage. Religious liberty was also extended to all monotheists, influenced by the Quakers' own experiences of persecution.
Pennsylvania became a safe place for Quakers to live and practice their faith, attracting many Quakers from Europe, especially the Netherlands, where they had faced persecution. Quakers were the dominant English element in Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia, the colony's capital, became the site of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, an aggregation of Quakers in the region. Quakers were involved in Pennsylvania politics, but this became increasingly difficult due to their commitment to nonviolence. In 1754, when the British government instructed Pennsylvania to prepare to fight in the French and Indian War, many Quakers in the colonial legislature initially agreed to comply. However, after a visiting English Quaker minister exhorted them to adhere to their peace testimony, many reconsidered, and when the Assembly voted to go to war, Quakers resigned en masse.
Quakers were also influential in the history of reform and promoted education, founding the first elementary schools in Pennsylvania, including Penn Charter in 1689, Darby Friends School in 1692, and Abington in 1696. They were the first to issue a public condemnation of slavery in America and played a significant part in the abolitionist movement. They also promoted equal rights for women, peace, and the humane treatment of prisoners and the mentally ill.
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Frequently asked questions
The British Parliament created the Toleration Act, which allowed every subject in England, except Papists, to worship God according to their own conscience. This was granted as a natural right.
Before the Toleration Act, there was no freedom of worship. Eight of the thirteen British colonies had official churches, and those who wanted to practice a different version of Christianity or a non-Christian faith were persecuted.
The New England colonies were predominantly Puritan and led strict religious lives. Their laws assumed that citizens who strayed from religious customs were a threat to civil order and should be punished. However, the middle colonies and southern colonies saw a mixture of religions, including Quakers, Catholics, Lutherans, Jews, and others.
