Jamestown Colony History Quiz

Squanto and the Pilgrims

• Squanto, a Native American of the Patuxet tribe, acted as an interpreter and guide to the Pilgrim settlers at Plymouth during their first winter in the New World.
• In 1621, Squanto introduced the Pilgrims to Wampanoag Chief Massasoit, facilitating communication between the two groups.
• The Pilgrims and Wampanoags celebrated the first Thanksgiving in the fall of 1621 after a successful crop.

Massachusetts Bay Colony

• In 1630, a group of Puritans from England settled Massachusetts Bay Colony under the leadership of Governor John Winthrop.
• The Massachusetts Bay Company granted by King Charles I empowered the group to create a colony in Massachusetts.
• The settlers transferred the charter to Massachusetts, turning a commercial venture into a political one.

Anne Hutchinson and the Puritans

• Anne Hutchinson was an influential Puritan spiritual leader who challenged male-dominated religious authorities in colonial Massachusetts.
• Hutchinson defied gender roles in positions of power and gathered women into groups, threatening the male elders of the colony.
• For this, she was exiled from the colony.

The Puritan Theocracy

• The Puritans transformed the company into a religious commonwealth, aiming to establish an ideal Christian community.
• In 1631, Puritan leaders agreed to recognize only church members as freemen, leading to the suppression or banishment of dissenters.
• This mindset led to religious intolerance.

Salem Witch Trials

• The Salem witch trials stemmed from hysteria around supernatural or “witch” behaviors in 1692.
• The trials began after a group of young girls in Salem Village claimed to be possessed by the devil and accused several local women of witchcraft.
• The trials were fueled by residents’ suspicions of and resentment toward their neighbors, as well as their fear of outsiders.

Jamestown and New England

• Jamestown was founded in 1607 as the first English colony to search for gold and silver deposits and establish trade with the Orient.
• The settlers struggled with hunger, illness, and limited supplies, and a trade agreement was made between John Smith and the Powhatan people.
• Initially, interactions were peaceful, but native tribes grew discontent with exposure to disease and unfair treatment, leading to conflict.

The Pilgrims and the Mayflower

• In 1620, a group of around 100 English men and women seeking religious freedom, later known as the Pilgrims, set sail for the New World aboard the Mayflower.
• The Mayflower anchored at Plymouth Rock in late December, where the Pilgrims formed the first permanent settlement of Europeans in New England.
• The Mayflower Compact was a set of rules for self-governance established by the English settlers to ensure a functioning social structure.