e-Document Project 2 Comparing Virginia and Massachusetts Bay Colonies

Comparing Virginia
and Massachusetts
Bay Colonies

The first English settlers who came to North America arrived with different goals. When John Smith and the Virginia Company landed in Jamestown in May 1608, they sought wealth and profit and hoped to extend the crown’s imperial reach in the New World. Farther north, beginning in the 1600s the Puritans settled Massachusetts Bay in order to flee religious persecution. Under the leadership of Governor John Winthrop they hoped to set an example of godly behavior for the rest of the world, although they were not averse to achieving economic success as well. In both places, however, many colonists found that their lives were incredibly difficult. And colonists in both sites had to address the fact that the lands they claimed were already inhabited by Indians who would have a say in the future of both colonies.

The following documents examine settlements in Virginia and Massachusetts Bay. They include ship passenger lists, a Puritan sermon, and letters from colonists detailing their goals and experiences. As you read, consider the differences between the two colonies, but also what they shared in common.