USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Puritan religion shaped the government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Usually, only male church members could vote or serve in town government. Town leaders made laws to control how people worshipped. One law required all people to attend church services.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Massachusetts Bay Colony established a government with John Winthrop serving his first term of Governor in 1630. Only Puritan men who were church members and owned land were able to vote for governor and for representatives to the General Court. Women were not allowed to participate in government.

Detailed explanation-3: -Religious dissident Roger Williams is banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony by the General Court of Massachusetts. Williams had spoken out against the right of civil authorities to punish religious dissension and to confiscate Native American land.

Detailed explanation-4: -[5] Town Meetings were thus developed to preserve local autonomy and self-government over issues such as religious freedom and tax laws.

Detailed explanation-5: -Massachusetts Bay Colony was a man’s world. Women did not participate in town meetings and were excluded from decision making in the church. Puritan ministers furthered male supremacy in their writings and sermons. They preached that the soul had two parts, the immortal masculine half, and the mortal feminine half.