The Hutchinson/Winthrop Conflict

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the conflict between Anne Hutchinson and John Winthrop, in which Winthrop wanted to rid Boston of Anne Hutchinson. The paper discusses their backgrounds and the history of their positions within their communities. It describes the political and religious environment at the time in order to understand the conflict that existed.

From the Paper:

"There may have been some merit to John Winthrop's fear of her. The colonies were finally thriving, but only after this dedicated, cohesive group had been there long enough under their set of established rules to survive a few winters. Winthrop's primary goal was to run a tight ship and set an example for the world, and he was not about to let a mere woman steer the entire colony off course. After all, women were at the root of all evil ever since Eve offered the apple to Adam. Winthrop felt that Anne's behavior was "not tolerable nor comely in the sight of God nor fitting for your sex"( Kerber, pg. 48). As much as Anne threatened the stability of the colony, she was perceived as a threat to the authority of men in her apparent power and influence over too many people. Linda Kerber states that, "When Hutchinson was held up to public ridicule and exiled, explicit dissent by women was firmly squelched in the Puritan community." Winthrop further sealed the wisdom of his decision with the fact that Anne miscarried a monstrous child after leaving the colony."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Ayto, John Dictionary of Word Origins, Arcade Publishing, New York: 1990.
• Hawthorne, John The Scarlet Letter, Bantam Classics, New York: 1981
• Kerber, Linda K. and Sherron DeHart Women's America, Refocusing the Past. Oxford University Press. New York: 1995
• Young, Ralph, Ph.D. Dissent in America, The Voices That Shaped a Nation. Pearson/Longman, Publishers. New York: 2006
• U.S. Library of Congress "Religion and the Founding of a Republic" www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion

More papers on The Hutchinson/Winthrop Conflict:

• Essay # 137568 : "Managing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: An Analysis"
• Research Paper # 59099 : "Current Developments in the China-Taiwan Conflict"
• Analytical Essay # 114174 : "The Russian-Georgian Conflict"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: