What role did religion play in the founding of English colonies?
It was VERY important! A lot more so than most people realize nowadays. Different regions of the colonies attracted adherents of different sects of Christianity and this had a direct effect on the formation, division and organization of these independent states: Massachusetts was of course founded by the Puritans; Rhode Island was a religious colony founded by Roger Williams, who had been expelled from Massachusetts. New Jersey was formed largely of Dutch Reformed with some Presbyterians and Quakers; each colony tended to have its own denomination, and Pennsylvania was formed by Quakers (who were despised and persecuted by the Puritans)... What is often overlooked is that many of these colonies, as they became states, still retained established religions and this is what the Second Amendment to the Constitution was composed for- as a reassurance that the Federal government would not interfere with the state's established religions. The separation of church and state was a subsequent issue (Jefferson's famous Letter to the Danbury Baptists was written in 1802 in support of the Baptists who were then forced to pay taxes in support of the Congregationalists who occupied the state government). It wasn't until the 19th century that all the state governments were secularized. There are two excellent books which cover this topic: Leonard Levy's The Establishment Clause, and Akhil Reed Amar's Bill of Rights. James Hutson's study of Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists should be required reading.
What role did religion play in the founding of english colonies?
"Many religious groups (such as the Quakers and Puritans) formed the first 13 colonies on the basis of their religious beliefs. Although the plan was to escape persecution, there was actually some amount of persecution happening in the colonies. One example of this persecution would be with the Puritans. The Puritans wanted everyone to worship in the Puritan way. In order to ensure that Puritanism dominated the colonies, nonconformists were fined, banished, whipped, and even imprisoned for not conforming to the way of the Puritans. Eventually this persecution was ended and other religions began to appear. The Anglicans were already established in most of the colonies and were even part of the group of people that were "persecuted" by the Puritans. However, after the dispersement of the Puritans, the number of other religions in the colonies began to increase. Baptists appeared in a majority of the colonies, Roman Catholics and Protestants organized in Maryland and even some German religions surfaced in a few of the colonies. Later came the Lutherans, who formed in the German communities in Pennsylvania, and the Presbyterians, who even had an appearance in the Massachusetts Proposals of 1705. Religious diversity had become a dominant part of colonial life. The colonies were a patchwork of religiously diverse communities and, as a result, the population of America increased quickly. People from all over the world wanted the freedom that was found in America and they began to move their homelands to America. Groups such as the Scotch-Irish were among the first to begin that emigration to America. As a result, religious persecution was beginning to diminish and religious freedom began to replace it." The above text is quoted from: http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/allam/16071783/religion.htm
What role did religion play in the founding of English colonies?
It played a bigger role in some colonies than others.In England the Church of England was the established religion, and people who were not members of that church sometimes tried to establish colonies where their own religion would be dominant, or at least freer than it was in England.Other English colonies were founded by commercial companies, and their main interest was trade, and so they generally tried to keep religion out.
What role did religion play in the colony?
Three of the first four successful American colonies were populated by religious refugees from Europe, who simply wanted to worship as they believed, without state religions legislating to death, their beliefs and practices.One result was that the First Amendment to the US Constitution guaranteed freedom of religious belief and practice.Another is that, to this day, much of American culture is more prudish than elsewhere in the world.
What role did religion play in the founding of america?
Due to their pseudo-"religion" (Christianity) the Pilgrims (who fled over here to find religious freedom) ironically killed the "savage" Indians by shooting and poisoning them. Granted, Christianity isn't a real religion, but the Pilgrims thought of it as one and decided to wipe out all the "heathen" so that they themselves could live in peace -- and they had no conscience about what they did to the indigenous people, either, which tells us something about Christians. It tells us a lot I would say ... but anyway, that's how pseudo-religion played a role in the founding of America ...
What role did religion play in the founding of Maryland and Pennsylvania? How was it different from New England?
Maryland was originally founded as a haven for Catholics and Pennsylvania (named for William Penn) was originally founded as a haven for Quakers. Eventually, of course, all these states came to mostly agree with Jefferson’s ideas about the right of religious freedom… so you can be any religion and live anywhere in America.In summary:New England — Puritan/CalvinistPuritanism is anti-papal, accepting of predestination and individual relationship to God. It is also strict in what it expects of indiviual holiness and close aherence to ilteral interpretation of scripture.These people were unhappy back in England because they failed to achieve control over the English Chruch and wanted a country in which people were more like-minded.Maryland — CatholicCatholics adhere to the “old religion” of Europe and accept the Pope in Rome. By the way, they believe in putting on great show. Distrusted as potential traitors back in England, because there were Catholic assassination plots.Pennsylvania — QuakerQuakers, like Puritans, are also anti-papal and anti-hierarchical. But they respond to an “inner light” rather than scriptural literalism. Quakers were always more liberal in most ways, except that they, like Puritans, believed in “plainness” (no showing off).Other Atlantic States — Anglican/EpiscopalianAnglicanism was the state religion of England, which tried to find a middle path between Catholicism and extreme Protestantism. At the time of the Reovlution, it was not so very far from Catholicism, except that it replaced the pope with the King of England.This is why places like Virginia were not in a religious revolt against England. Their motives were typically much more economic in the beginning. When the Jamestown colony managed to produced tobacco, the New World began to look profitable.Eventually people settled in Virginia and places south, beause it was an opportunity to claim vast amounts of land, which they couldn’t do back in England.
What role does religion play in the Cameron government in the UK?
Well, I'm going to argue that religion plays a role, but it is distinct from US religion. Cameron rules a coalition that includes Nick Clegg an atheist and the opposition is run by Ed Milliband, a jew. So not being Christian is no barrier to power. There are also two other factors, the Church of England is often joked of as "the Tory party at prayer", so Cameron does have to bear these in mind. The C of E would be viewed as socialists in the US, although socially conservative, they like fairness, justice and equality.The second is to do with race, the marginals (UK version of swing states) have sizeable Muslim minorities and the only party that claims Christian values in the BNP, Christian as in white Islamophobe.Cameron started by legalising gay marriage, but he also emphasised the value of marriage and tried to pass a tax break for the mooted benefits of having more married people, in terms of less crime etc. It was of course rejected as silly.There is always talk of fighting "Islamic fundamentalism/radicalisation", which usually means inept laws curtailing some liberties, but limited to a small section of the population.Probably more blatant was the "trojan horse plot", a plot to take over schools via PTA's and teach Islamic tradition. This was debunked as a hoax but that didn't stop an enquiry happening.Ironically it was a Conservative idea to allow "freedom from regulation" that created some contentious religious based schools.Cameron's piece highlighted in the article came about after the Conservatives were denounced by the C of E. Policies had included tax cuts for the rich and harassment of the mentally ill, sick and unemployed. The safety net was effectively suspended or removed for many.Conservatives often get flak from the CofE for materialism and greed. It's normally a signal that they need to slow down welfare cuts.So religion plays a part because it can criticise Conservatives where Unions and liberals can't.Currently the Conservatives are planning moves against Islamists joining ISIS, these would have involved extreme curbs on liberties. In a very British way they are "under discussion" which means they won't happen before judgement day.Cameron often talks religion to distract. Seeing as mentioning "Christian values" is seen as contentious, he uses it to move the news cycle if something bad is happening.
What role did religion play in the settlement of the British colonies?
Catholics were the ones who founded Maryland. It was meant as a place of religious freedom, and most people wer fine with that until Anglican forces invaded. There was a ship battle in the Chessapeake Bay which the Catholics, outnumbered, lost. Now most textbooks claim it was Queen Mary that Maryland is named after... Funny that.
What kind of role did religion play in the founding and establishment of the English colonies in North America?
Jamestown in Virginia was established by fortune seekers. The second colony established was by the Pilgrims at Plymouth. My first ancestors to arrive in the New World were passengers on the Mayflower in 1620. They came for religious freedom.The Pilgrims were followed by the Puritans. Rhode Island was founded for religious freedom. Pennsylvania became a haven for Catholics who were persecuted in England. Maryland also welcomed Catholics.My Mennonite ancestors came from the German speaking portion of Alsace to settle in Philadelphia in 1750, to escape from religious persecution. They were farmers who became farmers in the New World.My Jewish ancestors landed in Manhatten in the early 1700’s to escape persecution in Europe. Then were Sephardic news who were expelled from Spain 1n 1492, only to move to Northern Europe and North Africa before coming to the Colonies.In 1854, my great-great-great grandfather became the first Mormon in the family to emigrate from Wales, where church members were persecuted. He crossed the plains and settled in Brigham City. and was followed by other ancestors from Wales and England.The Mormons arrived after the Revolutionary War and the end the Colonial era, but religion has been a strong factor in the settlement of the English colonies and continued into 19th and 20th century America.