Anne Hutchinson Speech Analysis

1) The speech made by John Winthrop exemplified the belief that the Puritans had every right to observe religious liberty, so long as they demonstrated what they believed was “Christian manner.” He highlighted two forms of liberty: “Natural” liberty, where one acts “without restraint”; and “Moral” liberty, where the law of both God and the local rulers would be obeyed. Anne Hutchinson was put on trial because her beliefs strayed from those of the Puritan authorities, leading her to be considered “dangerous to authority.” Winthrop’s speech illustrated the criterion necessary to live the proper Puritan life and the importance of adhering to the power established by authorities. Regarding the status of women in early colonial New England society, …show more content…
Though Hutchinson held her own in the defense of her “straying” from the traditional ways of the Puritans, the aforementioned conventional beliefs that a woman’s say is not worth that of a male prove to prevail when Winthrop rules Hutchinson should be banished. This mentality highlights the overall idea that freedom and tolerance in the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies was subjective and at the discretion of the higher authorities. Freedom was only truly observed by those who shared the same beliefs as the Puritans as a whole, and tolerance was not observed when an individual strayed from those beliefs and opinions in the slightest--especially when women displayed opinions that differed from those of her husband or the church. It was of utmost importance that Puritans abide by the rules and beliefs set forth, because any variation would symbolize something “not tolerable nor comely in the sight of God” and would therefore result in a subsequent accusation stating that they have “troubled the peace of the commonwealth and the …show more content…
Terms of the servitude included working for and living with the master for seven years, gaining schooling and apparel upon the completion. During servitude, the apprentice must obey all instruction from his master, refrain from marriage, and not waste or share any goods that do not belong to said apprentice. The apprentice was also not allowed to take a leave of absence without approval from the master, and generally “behave himself as a faithful apprentice toward his master all during his said term.” In return, the apprentice was to receive an education, along with “meat, drink, apparel, lodging, and washing” that was deemed appropriate. At the end of the servitude, the apprentice would be provided a suit, shirts, and scarves. However, in some cases of indentured servitude, the conditions were dire; in a letter to her father, Elizabeth Sprigs recounts her experience as an apprentice stating she was “tied up and whipped to that degree that you now serve an animal.” She explained that she was not offered anything other than “Indian corn and salt” to eat, and that she was almost nude--with no stockings or shoes. After doing everything her master told her through the day, her only reward was a blanket to wrap herself in and retreat to the floor to rest. The life of this female indentured servant was horrifying in comparison to that of a free woman in