What did the colonists in Massachusetts do for a living?

The colonists made their living through farming, fishing, and trade. Learn more about Puritanism.

What was Massachusetts Bay Colony known for?

The Massachusetts Bay Colony became the first English chartered colony whose board of governors did not reside in England. This independence helped the settlers to maintain their Puritan religious practices without interference from the king, Archbishop Laud, or the Anglican Church.

Was the Massachusetts Bay Colony wealthy?

Massachusetts Bay Colony Facts: Growth By 1640 Massachusetts Bay Colony had grown to more than 20,000 people who were easily the most successful colony of the New England Colonies. Quaint cabins were replaced with well-built homes with animals grazing. Trade began to thrive and many in the colony became wealthy.

What was life like for the colonists living in Massachusetts?

Geography & Climate: Mountains, trees, rivers but poor rocky soil that was difficult to farm and unsuitable for crops. Mild, short summers and long, cold winters. Colonial Massachusetts was the 6th of the original 13 colonies to become a state on February 6, 1788.

How did the Massachusetts Bay Colony make a living?

The self-governing, self-reliant colony was first governed by John Winthrop and organized under principles laid out by John Cotton . The colonists made their living through farming, fishing, and trade. Learn more about Puritanism. What is the importance of the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

Who was the leader of the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

The Puritans established a theocratic government with the franchise limited to church members. Winthrop, Dudley, the Rev. John Cotton, and other leaders zealously sought to prevent any independence of religious views, and many with differing religious beliefs—including Roger Williams…

How did the Puritans change the Massachusetts Bay Company?

By moving the Massachusetts Bay Company’s General Court from England to America, the Puritans converted it from an instrument of the company to a legislative and administrative assembly free from royal oversight. The General Court was made into a bicameral assembly in 1644.

How did slavery affect the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

Slavery also played an important role in the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s economy. Starting in 1644, Boston merchants began to engage in the Triangle Trade, a three-stop trade route in which merchants imported slaves from Africa, sold them in the West Indies and then bought cane sugar to bring back to Massachusetts to make molasses and rum.