Massachusetts Bay

Definition

Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston.

Analogy

Consider Massachusetts Bay as a strict private school. It was founded by Puritans who wanted to create a community based on their religious beliefs - just like how some private schools are built around specific educational philosophies or religious principles.

Related terms

Puritans: A group of English Protestants who sought to purify the Church of England from its Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church should follow more strictly what they believed were biblical models for church governance and worship.

John Winthrop: He served as governor for over a decade; his vision for a "city upon a hill" guided the Puritan colony at Massachusetts Bay.

Great Migration: The movement between 1620 and 1640 during which about 20,000 people emigrated from England to New England due to political instability in England.