jan 1, 1636 - Roger Williams banished from MA

Description:

Roger Williams was a Puritan minister who arrived in Massachusetts in 1631. He claimed that "soul liberty" demanded that people could follow their consciences, free of restriction. He believed that anyone ought to practice any religion they chose, with no government interference, meaning the separation of church from state. He reasoned that faith was not genuine if it was involuntary, which it certainly was if the government forced it upon its citizens. He also believed that Massachusetts congregations end their association with the Church of England.

This rocked the worldview of powerful Puritans in Massachusetts, such as John Winthrop. He, like most Puritans, thought that religion ought not to be questioned lest society collapse. As such, Williams and his followers were banished from Massachusetts. The heretics moved south and established the colony of Rhode Island.