Py--I know I am days late on this, but I hadn't checked my CompuServe email
in 5 days--you have found one of the key elements in American colonial
history that seems to be often overlooked, that is the connection between
politics in the home country and their effect on the colonies. The Puritans
were indeed the founders of some of the colonies--we call them the
Pilgrims--and who founded which colony affected its future development. 

Virginia was founded in 1607 by a private corporation started for the
purpose and headquarted in London. It was therefore closely allied with the
"establishment" and business interests in England. It tended to be
conservative and conventional, and still is. 

Massachusetts was founded in 1620 by Puritan "Pilgrims" who were made
unwelcome in England, relocated to Holland, wanted a home of their own free
from outside influences, and obtained permission to settle in Virginia. Due
to a navigational error (or possibly by connivance) they were landed far
from Virginia (although virtually the entire English claim tended to be
called by that name) out of reach of English government influence. They had
also been set up as a private company but managed to have all their
directors as colonists and thus were the first of the colonies to be
self-governing. They sought freedom of worship, but only for their own
beliefs--dissent was not tolerated. Rhode Island was founded by a group
that split off from them. 

But in 1640 the Puritans in England took over the country, beheaded King
Charles I and instituted a theocratic, restrictive govermment. Suddenly the
despised dissenters were running things, which they did for 26 years,
Charles II returning from exile in 1666. 

Maryland was founded in 1640 by Royalist "Cavaliers" who found it prudent
to be out of England at this time. In other words, by the losing side in
the English Civil War. Interestingly, it was the only one of the 13
colonies to have religious freedom written into its original charter. 

Georgia was a prison colony.

Oh, yeah, and New York started off Dutch and got taken over by the English
later.

These are just a few examples of the 13 colonies. 

Given that the roots of the tension between extremes we have all through
our society started with the original colonies, it's amazing they ever
decided to unite. Fear and greed are powerful. 

Don White
[log in to unmask]
www.DBWhite.com

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