Constitutional Rights Foundation
Puritan Massachusetts: Theocracy or Democracy?
Was Puritan society governed as more of a theocracy or democracy? After comparing and contrasting a series of primary source documents, middle and high schoolers form small groups and debate the question.
Curated OER
The Massachusetts Bay Colony
In this Massachusetts Bay Colony worksheet, students read information and assess comprehension and vocabulary skills. In this multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and true or false worksheet, students answer ten questions.
Curated OER
Pilgrims and Puritans
With graphic organizers galore, learners will follow the changes of church and state in early colonial America. They look at the differences between the pilgrims and the puritans in terms of beliefs and life ways. Myths and...
Curated OER
Calvinism and Puritans
Now your class can discuss Calvinism and Puritans like true academic. How, you ask? Because they've heard a lecture based on the presentation you've just found. Containing informational text, each slide gives basic differences between...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Colonizing the Bay
Eleventh graders review the goals of John Winthrop. In this American History lesson, 11th graders read Winthrop's speech and summarize his key points. Students predict the possibilities for success and failure in the...
Curated OER
Puritans Lesson Plan
Students determine if the Puritans were selfish or selfless. In this American history lesson, students read two Puritans documents, answer guiding questions on a worksheet, and use evidence from the documents to write whether the...
Curated OER
Mapping Colonial New England: Looking at the Landscape of New England
High schoolers understand the similarities and differences between English and Native American conceptions of the land and town settlement. They understand how the colony of Massachusetts developed and expanded. Students understand the...
Curated OER
New England News: All You Need to Know About the New England Colonies
Students explore the New England colonies inj this five lessons unit. The colonies of plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut are highlighted through a variety of techniques.
Curated OER
Which of You Is A Witch?
High schoolers gain comprehensive background knowledge of the Salem witch trials in preparation for reading Arthur Miller's The Crucible. They participate in a role-play activity designed to simulate a modern day witch-hunt.
Curated OER
The 13 Originals: Exploring the Who, When, Where, and Why Behind the 13 Original Colonies of Early America
Discover the stories behind each of the thirteen stripes on the American flag with this straightforward presentation. Complete with learning objectives, discussion questions, and solid information about each of the original thirteen...
Curated OER
Religious Dissent
Students perform a readers theater about Anne Hutchinson and her religious dissent. In this religious dissent lesson plan, students re-enact her trial through the reader's theater.
Curated OER
Uncovering The Truth
Learners investigate the social and religious contexts that surrounded the Salem Witch Trials. The research is guided using the worksheets included in the lesson plan. The culminating assignment is writing an editorial of personal...
Curated OER
Connecticut
For this Connecticut worksheet, students read about the history of Connecticut and answer true and false questions about it. Students complete 10 true and false questions.
Curated OER
John Winthrop
In this online interactive history quiz instructional activity, students respond to 10 short answer and essay questions about the life and accomplishments of John Winthrop.
Curated OER
Early American Education and Horace Mann
Students analyze the contributions of Horace Mann. In this public education lesson, students research Internet and print sources regarding the history of American education, Mann.s life, the Morrill Act of 1862, and the Northwest Ordinance.
Curated OER
What is the (No) Establishment Clause?
Students research and discuss the Establishment Clause.
University of Groningen
American History: Documents: Charter of Massachusetts Bay 1629
Provides background information and the complete text of the charter of the Massachusetts Bay 1629.
Huntington Library
Huntington Library: Settlement of the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies
In this lesson, 5th graders learn about the people who founded the New England colonies and the role that religion played in shaping them. Includes background information for the teacher. Students explore primary resource readings on the...
University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma College of Law: The 1629 Charter of Massachusetts Bay
Complete text of the Charter of Massachusetts Bay, 1629.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Puritan New England: Massachusetts Bay
An overview of the Puritans who established the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the New Haven Colony and Rhode Island. The internal and external struggles with these colonies is discussed including the Salem Witch Trials, King Philip's War,...
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: New England Colonies: Massachusetts Bay the City on the Hill
Learn a little about Puritan beliefs and see the importance of religion and the clergy in Massachusetts Bay Colony.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Colonizing the Bay
John Winthrop's "Model of Christian Charity" was delivered as a sermon aboard the Arabella, as the Puritans approached their destination of Massachusetts Bay in 1630. The speech spells out his vision of the society they hoped to create...
Digital History
Digital History: Explorations: The Puritans
No group has played a more pivotal role in shaping American values than the New England Puritans. The seventeenth-century Puritans contributed to our country's sense of mission, its work ethic, and its moral sensibility. Today, eight...
Huntington Library
Huntington Library: Religious Dissent [Pdf]
This lesson supplements one on the "Settlement of the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies of New England." It looks at religious dissent and intolerance among the Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Students look at Roger...