John winthrop's life and his times.

1588, the British navy defeated1the Spanish Armada, the largest military power in Europe in the 6th century. This Anglo-Spanish naval battle is of epoch-making significance in modern European history. It marks the shift of Europe's center of gravity from the traditional Mediterranean world to the vast Atlantic Ocean, which has changed the political, economic and geographical features of Europe since then, thus having a great impact on international relations. The victory of this naval battle showed the arrival of the British era and opened up broad prospects for Britain's colonial cause in the New World. In the eyes of the British, the victory over the Catholic country Spain indicates that God has blessed Protestantism in Britain, and the balance of God's love has since tilted towards Protestantism and Britain, greatly enhancing the pride and self-confidence of the English nation.

John winthrop was born in this year. It is an interesting historical coincidence that Britain's first step towards world hegemony took place in the same year as the birth of winthrop. 1October 22nd, John winthrop was born in Edwardston, Suffolk, East England. Suffolk County is located in the center of East Angles, bordering Norfolk in the north, Cambridge in the west, Essex in the south and the vast sea in the east. It is a famous historical and cultural county in Britain. The East Angles are famous for their love of freedom and independence, and they are most influenced by Puritan culture. Britain's greatest politicians, scientists, theologians and artists all appeared here. In the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the East Angles had the largest number of immigrants.

Second, winthrop in the period of Massachusetts Bay.

1October 20th, 1629, 10, winthrop was elected as the president of Massachusetts bay colonial company. Subsequently, winthrop devoted himself to organizing and leading the unprecedented large-scale population migration overseas in British history. /kloc-in the spring of 0/630, he led an immigrant fleet to sail from Yarmouth to the New World. On June 12, 2008, he landed in Salem, Massachusetts, and soon settled in Chomat Peninsula, which was later named Boston. Because the fundamental law of colonial companies, that is, the charter issued by the king and the company headquarters moved to the New World with the immigrants, the Massachusetts Bay colony is actually an autonomous colony with great autonomy, and the power to control and manage the colony is in the hands of the governor, deputy governor and counselor. In addition, the population of Massachusetts Bay Colony is far more than Plymouth Colony established in New England 10 years ago, and it is also more than other colonies in New England later. The large population made Massachusetts Bay Colony the most powerful colony in New England, so the governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony had higher status and power than that of any other colony in his time. Winthrop lived in New England for 19 years until his death in 1649. Despite several ups and downs, he was always the core figure in the political arena of the Massachusetts Bay colony, and saved the day several times, ensuring the independence, stability and integrity of the colony.

From 1646 to 1649, winthrop served as the colonial governor of Massachusetts Bay for the third time. 1649 On March 26th, winthrop died in Boston at the age of 6 1.

The 19 year of winthrop's colony in Massachusetts Bay was a crucial period for the development of the colony in Massachusetts Bay. The colony experienced three years' predicament, initial prosperity and economic depression from 1640 to political and economic independence. winthrop's thoughts and practical activities profoundly influenced the development of the colony in Massachusetts Bay during this period. First, the declining monarchy.

John winthrop experienced two dynasties in English history-the late Tudor dynasty (1485- 1603) and the early Stuart dynasty (1603- 1688). Tudor dynasty and Stuart dynasty respectively represented two completely different times in English history. The Tudor dynasty, which lasted for 1 18 years, was the heyday of the development of British feudal monarchy, and was known as "the peak of the development of British Orthodox society" and "the watershed of British history". The religious reform of Henry VIII, the collapse of the Spanish Armada, the defeat of the Catholic plot, the beginning of overseas expansion, and the peak of the influence of traditional culture; Shakespeare and Marlowe, outstanding literary giants, Moore, the founder of utopian socialism, Bacon, the true ancestor of British materialism, historical figures Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Mary Stuart and so on all appeared one after another. These historical figures and events, which had a great influence in history, undoubtedly proved that Tudor dynasty was the golden age in British feudal history. If the Tudor dynasty represents the most brilliant and mature period of the monarchy, then the Stuart dynasty witnessed the decline and decline of the British monarchy. The Stuart dynasty experienced 20 years of British civil war and revolution, the establishment of British political system and the restoration of monarchy. Compared with Tudor dynasty, the17th century ruled by Stuart dynasty is like a fallen star in the long history of Britain. The corruption, incompetence and domineering of the early Stuart rulers led to unprecedented sharp social contradictions in Britain. The turbulent situation, the bad economic situation and the unfavorable religious environment have led to a large number of British people making a living overseas. 17 From 1930s to 1940s, thousands of British people left their homes and went to British colonies, which became a remarkable social phenomenon. It was during this period that John winthrop and a large number of Puritans left England and moved to New England in British North America, thus expanding the Massachusetts Bay colony.

Second, the bad economic situation.

From the 1920s of 17, a serious crisis occurred in British wool textile industry, and the depression of wool textile industry spread widely, affecting national economy, regional economy and individual producers. The woolen industry in Tudor England was a pillar of the British national economy at that time, and its rise and fall was related to the lifeblood of the British economy at that time. 17 in the early 1920s, Sir Edward Coke, a famous jurist, gave a vivid description of the importance of the British woolen industry. Kirk believes that "if all the goods exported by this kingdom are divided into ten parts, then wool production accounts for nine parts." As long as the wool export stops, it means everything is over. ..... all wool is reduced by12p per Todd (the old British weight unit, each Todd is equal to 28 pounds), which means that Britain loses 65,438+million pounds. "The rise and fall of wool trade has a great influence on Britain's economic development. Because the wool textile industry is in a particularly important position in the British economy, the decline of the wool textile industry will inevitably have a fatal blow to the British economy and society.

The depression of Suffolk wool industry affected the economic development of the whole county, and also affected winthrop personally. Influenced by the depression of wool spinning industry in Suffolk, he mainly relied on capitalist agriculture to make a living, and he found it difficult to support his family only by land income, so he had to find new ways to make money. He left home for a long time to work as a guardian court lawyer in London, which greatly eased his financial difficulties. But the good times didn't last long, and he finally lost his job. Deeply impressed by the difficult times, he wrote in 1629: "This land is tired of its residents. As the spirit of all things, the value of people in this land is not comparable to the dust we step on, not comparable to cattle and horses ... Every town complains that there are too many poor people to afford. "

Third, the religious environment is not conducive to Puritans.

In17th century England, religion was a particularly sensitive issue. 1603, it seems that the new dynasty brought the hope of reform to the English Puritans. Winthrop's father Adam winthrop's special concern for the new monarch can reflect the Puritans' high hopes for James I. In his diary from March to July in 1603, Adam recorded in detail the time and place of James VI's accession to the throne, his journey into England, his daily life and diet, the stories that happened along the way and his coronation as king of England. During the journey, the king accidentally fell off his horse. He wrote with concern in his diary: "The king fell off his horse and hurt his arm, which is very dangerous." Adam winthrop and other Puritans believed that James I, who grew up in Scottish Presbyterian Church and received Presbyterian education from childhood, would help them realize their pure religious ideal and restore their Puritan identity. So, on the way to England's succession, the Puritans couldn't wait to present him with a "thousand-person petition" signed by nearly a thousand priests from 25 counties. The main content of this petition is to reform the etiquette of the Anglican Church and achieve the goal of purifying the Church.

17 In the 1920s, the persecution of Puritans by the kingship and the Church of England affected John winthrop's hometown and winthrop family. Suffolk, winthrop's hometown, is the most active place of Puritanism, and it is also the place deeply influenced by Puritanism culture. The religious activities of the Puritans there were impacted, and many Puritans were in a difficult situation. The routine sermon in bocks Boxford has long influenced and nourished the winthrop family's faith. 162165438+1October 4th, winthrop's father Adam winthrop wrote in his diary: "The Thursday sermon in bocks Ford was banned." In a short sentence, Adam expressed his anxiety and dissatisfaction with the change of the situation. In order to escape persecution, William Ames, a famous local Puritan priest, was forced to live in exile. "1629- 1640, 79 priests moved to new England, and at least 52 of them (25 were temporarily or permanently banned from being priests) were persecuted. When the domestic situation improved, 28 of them returned to the UK. "