Massachusetts Bay Company

Initially, in the early seventeenth century by two companies, the London Company and the Plymouth Company established colonies in the northern and southern area of the New World in 1607.But due to inclement climatic conditions, diseases and harsh environment the projects had to be abandoned. Later, Pilgrims (a group that separated itself from the Church of England) came on the Mayflower and established the Plymouth Colony in 1620.Though the colonists faced initial difficulties they were able to come out of the situation and encouraged further immigration. .The Puritan, Rev. White of Dorchester is called the father of the Massachusetts colony and was responsible for setting up a small fishing village at Cape Ann under the supervision of the Dorchester Company. Though fishing was not profitable, the colonists moved to the village of Naumkeag and Rev. White helped them to get a new grant and financial aid from the Plymouth Council for New England. It also sent fresh settlers and provisions to the new settlement and posted John Endicott as its governor in 1628.The following year, in spite of all the harsh ships, settlers kept pouring into the colony (now named Salem) and Francis Higginson was made the first minister of this new colony .Due to the new repressive measures by the Church of England Puritans such as Roger Williams, Thomas Hooker and Samuel Skelton made their way to the Puritan Congregation at Massachusetts. The Royal Charter also granted the establishment of a General Court with elected member(eight in number) to take care of matters concerning law. The First Church of Boston was also founded for all religious purposes. It also vested all legislative, executive and judicial powers to a Council of the Governors assistants that took care of taxes, settle disputes and set boundaries. By 1640, changes were made based on democratic principles. Besides, the first code of law called the Massachusetts Body of Liberties was written by Nathaniel Ward and codified by Joseph Hills came into effect. People were required to follow certain behavior and punishments by appeal had the sanction of the Judeo-Christian principles recorded in the Bible .Thus a puritan colony A city Upon a Hill based on John Winthrops utopian idea was established.