William Bradford

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William Bradford

• Plymouth Colonys Governor

American Literature I
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Early Childhood

• Born March 1590 in Austerfield, Yorkshire,
  England
• People of Austerfield were unacquainted with
  teachings of the Bible
• Parents were middle class farmers
• Parents died at a young age
• Lived with grandparents and uncles
• Sickly, but loved to learn

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Teen Years

• Heard sermons of Richard Clyfton, and was swayed
  by his words
• Joined Separatists against familys will
• In 1608, 125 Separatists moved to Holland
• Married Dorothy

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Voyage to the New World

• Sailed from England in September, 1620 on the
  Mayflower
• Many lost their lives on voyage and survivors
  landed in Massachusetts
• Mayflower Compact/ Governor John Carver
• Dorothy drowned on December 7, 1620
• People known as Pilgrims

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Plymouth Colony

• Bradford was the backbone of the colony
• Lost many settlers due to diseases
• Bradford fought own illness
• Bradford served as governor for 30 years
• Married Alice Carpenter Southworth

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Native Americans

• Tried to maintain peace with the indigenous
  population, an attitude not shared by all
  European settlers.
• Like many zealous Christian settlers before and
  after him, Bradford wanted to convert the
  Indians therefore, maintaining peace was
  critical to the success of this mission.

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Bradfords Writings

• Of Plymouth Plantation
• Mounts Relation A Journal of the Pilgrims at
  Plymouth
• Died on May 9, 1657 in Plymouth Colony

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John Winthrop

• Massachusetts Bay Companys Governor

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Early Years

• Born on January 22, 1588 in Edwardston, England
• Tutored as a child and grew up on fathers
  estatewasnt poor
• At the age of 14 enrolled in Trinity College in
  Cambridge

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Marriage Years

• At age seventeen, met and married Mary Worth
  within three weeks
• Had six children in ten years
• Mary died suddenly, and he remarried six months
  later, but his new wife died one year later
• Married third wife, a woman of great faith
• 3rd marriage lasted 30 years

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Early Career

• Found consolation for loss of his wives and other
  setbacks through his Christian hope and faith
• Engaged in law/became a magistrate, and had
  connections within parliamentary proceedings

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Puritanism

• Two sides, political and spiritual
• Political Puritans were a group of Protestants
  who were against the corruption and abuse of
  Church less concerned with doctrine and theology
• Spiritual Puritans had an intense personal
  devotion to God. (Deut. 65) and were distressed
  by doctrinal errors (heresy) of Church of England
• Winthrop gained respect of both of these groups

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Decision to come to America

• Wanted freedom to practice their religion
• Puritans did not intend to be Separatists, but
  decided they could not reform Church from within
• Massachusetts Bay Company
• Meeting of Company/ The companys charter
• Winthrop named governor

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Reasons to Come to New World

• To carry the gospel to the New World
• To escape Gods judgement upon the corrupt
  churches of Europe
• To help solve problems caused by poverty and
  overpopulation in England
• To obey Genesis 128 Be fruitful and increase in
  number, fill the earth and subdue it.

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Life in America

• Arrived in Salem, Massachusetts
• Winthrop refuses to give up. Instead, he builds
  homes and takes care of his people
• Company pulls out money, but Winthrop supports
  colony with his personal wealth
• Winthrop succeedsin the next ten years, the
  colony attracts 20,000 new settlers

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Winthrops Writings

• Journals
• The History of New England from 1630 to 1649 by
  John Winthrop
• Model of Christian Charity
• Life and Letters