Massachusetts Colony
Map of Colony
Plymouth was the first settlement in what became the Massachusetts Bay colony. A group of Puritans attempting to escape religious persecution in England founded the Plymouth settlement in 1620. These settlers become known as “Pilgrimsâ€. The Pilgrims underwent a few years of hardships before finally becoming established. Their limited success encouraged others to follow in their footsteps. Settlements were established at Weymouth and Mt. Wollaston (now known as Quincy and at Salem). In June of 1630, John Winthrop led 900 settlers to Boston on 11 ships, under the auspices of the newly reorganized Massachusetts Bay Colony. Boston became the capital of the colony. Winthrop became its governor. During the course of the voyage Winthrop is said to have given his famous “City upon the Hill†speech. In this speech Winthrop called for the new settlement to be an example to others. The colony was ruled by the Massachusetts Bay Company, and was in fact, a Puritan theocracy.
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