Question

What was the primary reason Thomas Hooker left the Massachusetts Bay colony and founded the Connecticut colony?

Answer 1

Thomas Hooker left the Massachusetts Bay Colony primarily due to growing disagreements over theocratic governance and the strict religious requirements for voting and church membership. He believed in a more inclusive approach to government and the idea that individuals should have the right to participate in political life, regardless of their specific religious standing. Seeking the freedom to establish a settlement that adhered to his beliefs in religious and political liberty, Hooker founded the Connecticut Colony in 1636. This was in line with his vision of a more democratic society, which eventually influenced the development of the Fundamental Orders of 1638, a framework for government in the colony that emphasized more representative governance.