Today’s historical anniversary commemorates the arrival of Anne Hutchinson in colonial Massachusetts in 1634. Within a short time, she became one of the most controversial figures in early American history. Just four years later, the colonial authorities banished Anne to Rhode Island. There, she joined the community of fellow religious dissenter Roger Williams.

The story of Anne Hutchinson is an interesting and sometimes misunderstood one. She began holding religious meetings in her home, eventually attracting not only fellow women but important colonial figures as well. This was not, per se, looked down on in colonial Massachusetts. Society was quite religious, and the more people who discussed the importance of religious teachings, the better.

What got Anne in trouble, however, was two things. One, she began claiming God had revealed things to her “by an immediate voice,” just as He revealed things to figures in biblical stories. Second, authorities claimed she said that various local ministers were preaching a “covenant of works.” This meant that they taught that good actions, like attending church regularly, were necessary for salvation. Protestant doctrine, recall, differs from Catholic belief by claiming that faith alone results in salvation.

Most of us recall the fate of Anne Hutchinson. As colonial governor John Winthrop put it on behalf of the court, “Mrs. Hutchinson, the sentence of the court you hear is that you are banished from out of our jurisdiction as being a woman not fit for our society, and are to be imprisoned till the court shall send you away.”

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What Anne Hutchinson’s Banishment
Means

Ever since 1637, there’s been some debate on why Anne Hutchinson’s story matters. Some claim the authorities banished her because she was a woman acting out of place. Perhaps. The question of whether women should teach men does arise at places in her trial transcript. The governor’s official charges, however, stopped at defying local magistrates and claiming that several well-known ministers had preached falsehoods.

That doesn’t mean Anne’s gender was unimportant—only that it wasn’t the official reason used to get rid of her. Had she continued teaching in a manner consistent with the hierarchical and patriarchal nature of her society, however, it’s likely her name never enters the history books. Her true sin, it appears, was in challenging the hierarchy and becoming a troublemaker.

Anne Hutchinson and Colonial
Religion

I use this story as a great example of one the most misunderstood things about religion in colonial America. Most students I teach enter class thinking colonial America was a land of religious freedom, but this was far from true in Massachusetts. The people who came to the English colonies in the 17^th century wanted freedom—to practice their religion their way and to the exclusion of others. Religious toleration and general religious freedom were the last thing on their minds.

Look back to the first paragraph of this blog post. Note that Roger Williams had already been banished from the Massachusetts colony by Anne Hutchinson’s time. Williams and Anne Hutchinson weren’t the only ones banished, either. Massachusetts authorities booted John Davenport for claiming that the Test of Saving Grace (necessary to claim full membership in Puritan society) was too exclusive and limiting. They also kicked out Thomas Hooker for teaching the opposite—that the Test of Saving Grace was too easy.

Colonial Massachusetts, therefore, had quite a history of religious intolerance. It didn’t begin or end with Anne Hutchinson. She remains, however, an important figure in colonial history. Anne died in 1643 during an attack by Native Americans.

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