History of Massachusetts for Two Hundred Years: From the Year 1620 to 1820

Alden Bradford‘s History of Massachusetts for Two Hundred Years: From the Year 1620 to 1820 is one of the earliest compilations of historical events within the state of Massachusetts. Written by an early Secretary of the Commonwealth and a member of the Federalist party, Bradford recounts major historical events beginning with the settlement in Plymouth instigated by the Pilgrims and ending with commentary on the actions of Governor Brooks after the War of 1812. A lawyer by trade, Bradford’s most pertinent analysis focuses on actions of Massachusetts’ citizens prior to the American Revolution and early interpretations of Constitutional Law.

Given the date of its publication, it’s challenging to score the this work in comparison to more contemporary books. From a historical value perspective, it deserves five stars given that the author had to painstakingly compile primary source materials to develop this as a foundational summary. Therefore, I’ve compiled some notable points below that make this an interesting, albeit challenging read given the early American writing style:

Duration of the French, Indian and Massachusetts Bay Colony conflict prior to the Seven Years’ War

The author’s focus on various settlements helps highlight the true length of conflicts between French-allied Native American tribes and Colony settlers prior to what we traditionally know as the French and Indian War (1756-1763). On the frontiers of British-held territory, wars involving the Massachusetts Bay colonists such as King William’s War and Dummer’s War pre-dated this significant conflict.

Problematic political structures within the Massachusetts Bay Colony prior to the Revolutionary War

Especially during the tenures of Governors Bernard and Hutchinson, a lack of colonial representation and overall communication between the Massachusetts General Court (representing the people) and British Parliament heightened overall tensions. Bradford’s accounts emphasize the expanding power that these British colonial administrators obtained and the lack of oversight from Parliament as they largely relied on the accounts of these individual administrators. While “taxation without representation” remained an underlying cause to pursue independence, the flawed executive structure contributed as well within the Colony.

Commentary on the weakness of post-Revolution, pre-Constitution Massachusetts

The author spends ample time focusing on the financial and political problems of the state immediately after the Revolutionary War. Notably, the economic instability due to heavy expenditures incurred for military purposes and the lack of stable governing frameworks stand out (the Articles of Confederation had significant flaws). The events surrounding Shays’ Rebellion helped demonstrate these issues.

Forced to advance the collection of taxes and interest incurred throughout the Revolutionary War, Governor Bowdoin raised a private militia to deal with a hostile rebellion in opposition to his aggressive tax policies. This was a last resort as the Federal government couldn’t provide military assistance to quell rebellion nor help the state effectively manage their debts. This problematic solution directly influenced the Constitutional Convention by emphasizing the importance of a strong central government.

Emphasis on the values of Massachusetts colonists and citizens

1. Education – Religious motives underpinned Massachusetts’ advanced early education systems. Massachusetts formally mandated general public education alongside the establishment of Harvard College to support Puritan religious objectives. Early colonial statutes re-upped these mandates. Laws passed in 1789 required all towns with 200 families or more to support a grammar school with college educated teachers who could instruct in Latin and Greek
2. Religion – Radical religious views impacted early politics and Massachusetts only gradually became more secular. Puritan persecutions of religious groups such as Quakers and the banishment of dissenters (such as Roger Williams) spurned ire from the British Crown. Post Revolution, the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights (1780) effectively gave majority religious groups the ability to tax to support their places of worship while limiting dissenting factions. The state didn’t fully stop supporting religion until 1833.
3. Abolition – The state opposed slavery much earlier than the rest of the United States. The slave trade was forbidden as far back as 1645, although slavery existed in large cities and was allowed by the British. Involuntary slavery was effectively condemned and prohibited by the state in 1783 as it was incompatible with the “principles of civil liberty…and contrary to the spirit of Christianity”.
4. Federalism – Massachusetts’ economic incentives aligned with maintaining a close trading relationship with England and other foreign entities despite political issues. Therefore, after the Revolution, the state veered more towards Federalism as political actions such as the Embargo Act of 1807 severely limited seaborn trade. In addition, the Federal government’s push to deploy the Massachusetts State Militia for non-defensive activities during the War of 1812 further pushed the state to oppose the War and Jeffersonian political views.