Jamestown Vs Massachusetts Bay Colony Essay

Life in Colonial America was different for all those involved, which were the settlers of Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay colony.. Jamestown, Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay had similarities and differences. They each had their own unique leaders, form of government, economics, and ways of life, although all the settlers in these colonies had a deep dependence on God. Jamestown was the first permanent settlement in North America, founded in 1607. The leader was John Smith. He described the things he saw and experienced, and drew maps of the land. John Smith’s writing style was straightforward and unemotional, as demonstrated in A General History. Jamestown had a governing council, and the governor was appointed by the king. John

Plymouth was founded in 1620, and led by William Bradford. William Bradford’s writing style was simple, and described the suffering and triumphs of the Pilgrims, as shown in his book, Of Plymouth Plantation. The Pilgrims created the Mayflower Compact, which was signed by all the male Pilgrims, in which they agreed to surrender their individual rights for the good of the community, and promised to obey rules and laws passed by elected representatives. This became the basis for the U.S. Constitution.The pilgrims depended on the Bible for setting up the government (31), based on Levitical Law. William Braford was governor from 1622-1656, except for five years. The economy of Plymouth was primarily agricultural. Massachusetts Bay was made up of Puritans, and led by John Winthrop. John Winthrop was trained as a lawyer, so his writing style was straightforward, and he recorded events in their entirety with great accuracy. The economy was based on fur trading, fishing, and shipbuilding.
The colony was a theocracy, which means that the Bible was the basis for laws, and God was the ruler of the colony, and based on Levitical laws. The Bible was a basis for decisions, including setting prices. Robert Keen was an example of someone who happened to disobey these laws, because he was fined for overpricing goods (38). The economy was based on fur traders, fishermen, and