John Winthrop
By: Justin, Max, Sydney, AJ, and Alejandro
Biography
Short family history:
Wealthy
Born in the UK
Went to Trinity College
Studied law at Cambridge
Contribution: He established government in Boston. He was voted out as Govenor three times and was re-elected three times. He served as Govenor until his death in Boston in 1649
John Winthrop was born into a wealthy family from Suffolk England. When the English government began persecuting puritans like Winthrop he decided to move his family to the Massechusetts Bay Colony.
Political affiliations and or loyalties with explanation of views:
- Winthrop strongly disagrees with the English ways. The reason that he left England in the first place was because he refused to acknowledge the new religious ways after the failure to reform the Church of England. His political beliefs were essentially based upon his religious beliefs. He continued to govern in America with a religious policy.
Puritanism:
- Puritans believed in predestination where God has a plan for every individual and good would always overcome evil.
Theocracy:
- As John Winthrop grew older while in England, the religious and political situation did not appeal to a Puritan lifestyle, and as King Charles I came to power, intent on an absolute monarchy that disagreed with Puritan beliefs, Winthrop set off for New England. Winthrop and other Puritans came to Massachusetts with the intent on building a theocracy; a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god. A community Winthrop deemed set above all others. Winthrop believed that their colony was to be a model of theocratic and civil government. He hoped that others would follow in his footsteps.
Citizenship and Integrity
Citizenship:
Citizenship is defined as “ the quality of an individual's response to membership in a community” in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. In this sense, John Winthrop displays exemplary citizenship by steering the Massachusetts Bay colony to relative success. Also, John winthrop displayed moral and ethical qualities towards certain topics such as relations with the Native Americans. However, these moral “good deeds” were later overshadowed by evils committed under his command.
Integrity:
Integrity is defined as the adherence to moral and ethical principles or soundness of moral character. John Winthrop practiced integrity in the sense that he stuck with his religious beliefs before he moved to the New World and after. When he was demanded to go against his religion and practice another, he sought freedom and refused to go against his religious foundation. Once he arrived in North America, Winthrop became a religious leader as well as governor. By establishing theocracy, he enforced his religious beliefs through policy in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.