When the Puritans came to the New World, they brought with them their strict ways, their religious views, and their distaste for Christmas. Although Christmas was widely celebrated in Europe as a Christian holiday marking the birth of Jesus Christ, Puritans saw it as a false holiday with stronger ties…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The New England colonies were a series of English colonies established in New England in the 17th century. They were a part of the original 13 colonies of North America. What Were the Original New England Colonies? There were originally seven colonies in New England in the 17th century: Plymouth…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The New England Confederation was a military alliance between the New England colonies of Plymouth, Connecticut, New Haven, and Massachusetts Bay in the 17th century. The alliance was formed in 1643 to provide joint military support against attacks by Native Americans, the French, and the Dutch. What Inspired the New…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Glorious Revolution in England occurred when Mary and William of Orange took over the throne from James II in 1688. News of the Glorious Revolution had a significant and profound effect on the colonies in North America, particularly the Massachusetts Bay Colony. When colonists learned of Mary and William's…| History of Massachusetts Blog
John Hathorne was a judge in the Salem Witch Trials and the great-great-grandfather of author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hathorne was born in Salem on August 5, 1641, to William Hathorne and Anne Smith. He was the fifth of nine children. His father, William, was a local judge who came to the…| History of Massachusetts Blog
William Stoughton was a colonial magistrate for the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Chief Magistrate of Court of Oyer and Terminer during the Salem Witch Trials. Early Life: William Stoughton was born in 1631 to Israel and Elizabeth (Knight) Stoughton. It is not known if Stoughton was born in England…| History of Massachusetts Blog
The Salem Witch Trials judges were several men who served as judges during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. On May 27, 1692, Sir William Phips appointed nine of the colony's magistrates to serve as judges on the newly created Court of Oyer and Terminer. The court was created specifically…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Jonathan Corwin was a judge in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. He was also Judge John Hathorne's brother-in-law and Sheriff George Corwin's uncle. The Corwin Family: Jonathan Corwin was born on November 14, 1640, in Salem, Massachusetts, to Captain George Corwin and Elizabeth Herbert. The Corwins (or Curwen, as…| History of Massachusetts Blog
King William's War, also known as the Second Indian War and the First French and Indian War, was an armed conflict between England and France in North America in the 17th century. The war was a battle over control of North America, particularly over the fur trade in North America.…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Salutary neglect was an unofficial British policy in the colonies that greatly affected Massachusetts in the 18th century. The policy was an intentional lack of enforcement by the British government of British trade laws in the American colonies. The phrase salutary neglect itself comes from a speech given by Edmund…| History of Massachusetts Blog
Bartholomew Gedney was one of the judges during the Salem Witch Trials. Gedney was also a physician, town selectman, ship carpenter, merchant and a colonel in the Essex County militia. Gedney was born to John Gedney in Salem on June 14, 1640. Gedney married Hannah Clark in 1662 and had…| History of Massachusetts Blog
