From: Lawrence Chen
Date: 2/3/00
Time: 7:15:34 AM
Remote Name: 205.188.195.44
Lawrence Chen Mr. Cutler History 67 2/1/00
What did Winthrop mean when he referred to their prospective settlement as a "citty upon a hill?" Who was John Winthrop and why did he write this sermon before he and his fellow Puritans landed in the New World?
John Winthrop was the governor of Massachusetts Bay around the mid 1600s. With all the corruption in England during the early 1600s Winthrop decided to emigrate to the New World in order to get away from all the corruption in England during the early 1600s. It was around then that the king tried to run England without the consent of parliament. Though later executed Charles named William Laud the archbishop of Canterbury. Winthrop and the puritans in England around the early 1600s detested everything Laud stood for. With that Winthrop received a charter from the king and set out for America. The joint-stock company Massachusetts Bay was not like the dozens of commercial companies. It was Puritans who wished to start a new colony in the New World. Berfore landing in the New World Winthrop wrote a sermon. He wrote the sermon explaining the importance of God being the center of foundation of a new colony. In writing the sermon Wnthrop was hoping to unify the all the settlers of Massachusetts Bay. He viewed his community as a standard that all should look upon as inspiration. He referred to his prospective settlement as a “city upon a hill”. It was to be looked at as a model community.