Cambridge Agreement

The Cambridge Agreement of 1629 between the shareholders of the Massachusetts Bay Company that led to the foundation of Boston, Massachusetts. It decided about the local control of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Though many shareholders were not keen about immigration to America, they were sympathetic towards the Puritans who were being prosecuted for their religious beliefs. The agreement also decided to place John Winthrop as the leader of the Puritan emigration and decided to make him the governor of Massachusetts .It also decided to make Massachusetts a self - governing colony which was answerable only to the King. It agreed that the Massachusetts colony and the company for all purposes would be one and that the immigrants would carry this agreement and charter along with them to Massachusetts. On August 26, 1629,the English Puritan stockholders made a pledge in Cambridge and agreed that the Massachusetts Bay Company would immigrate to New England ,in case of the transfer of its governments. On March 29, 1630, the company with its charter and many prospective colonists left Cowes in four vessels namely Arabella, The Talbot, the Ambrose and the Jewel with the remaining colonists to follow later. The journey was long and many on board died of survey. The remaining reached Salem in July and first official meeting pf the company was held in on the 23^rd of August 1630.In spite of all the inconveniences in the new place, the colony of Massachusetts Bay was established in the American soil and a new era for New England began. This colony became a model of the Christian society and was governed through a general court elected by the church members. The initial agreement for a creation of a government to promote trade for the Massachusetts Company turned to be religiously based government headed by Puritans.