The Colonies by 1763: a New Society?

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Oscar Leiva Per.6 10/10/12 The Colonies by 1763: A New Society? From the early 1600s to the late 1700s, colonial life and society drastically changed in the American colonies. The American colonies were able to diverse themselves from common English society. Between the settlement at Jamestown in 1607 and the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the most important change that occurred in the colonies was the emergence of a society quite different from that in England. This society included changes in religion, economics, politics, and social structure. By 1763, although some colonies still maintained established churches, other colonies had accomplished a virtual revolution for religious toleration and separation of church and state. Religious toleration in the colonies began with large groups coming to America to escape religious persecution. Puritans, Pilgrims, and Protestants came to America to escape England’s corruption in the Church of England. In the colonies, a large number of English Catholics immigrated to Maryland and established large colonial plantations in order to avoid the persecution of Puritan enemies. The Maryland assembly passed the Maryland Toleration Act, In order to give religious freedom to all Christians. Under the Maryland Toleration Act anyone who rejected the belief in Jesus was sent to death. This resulted in most colonies permitting the practice of different religions. Colonies such as Massachusetts were the least tolerant; Rhode Island and Pennsylvania were the most liberal colonies. This debatable belief increased the necessity for the separation of church and state. The separation of church and state was a crucial part of religious freedom in the colonies. The separation of church and state protected the right of religion by not allowing laws to affect or change a person’s belief. In colonies such as Massachusetts, government positions
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