Early American colonists were optimistic adventurers who helped build a new settlement. But they also experimented with creating a new society. The Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was the first political document written in the United States, a first attempt at self-government. Discover who wrote this document and why, and how it influenced the creation of the United States government.

Traces the history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony back to the reformation, and discusses the background, development, and impact of the 1629 Charter.

When Governor John Winthrop established the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, he commenced a tradition of public service in which his family would participate for almost a century. His son, John, Jr., and his grandsons, Fitz John and Wait Still, were deeply involved in the colonial government of New England, although their motives were increasingly mixed with private interest. Mr. Dunn's portrayal of this important and interesting family illuminates the two most fundamental themes in early New England history: the gradual secularization of the New England conscience, and the continuous struggle to preserve local customs and privileges within an increasingly centralized English imperial system. Originally published in 1962. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.