New England, named by Captain John Smith in the 17th century, played a significant role in the formation of the United States. The region’s colonies became states, and New England led the fight for independence. It also pioneered social reform and remains a leader in human rights, government reforms, and environmental issues. Today, it is part of the Northeastern United States.
As the only area of the United States that has kept the name given at the time of the first English charter for the area, New England has contributed enormously to the culture and history of the country. Here’s some background on the formation of the charter, the colonies they eventually numbered among the new country’s first states, and some examples of how the region often pioneered social reform.
The New England designation first appeared in the writings of Captain John Smith, a name well known to anyone familiar with Pilgrim history. The Pilgrims Colony at Plymouth sought to establish other colonies under the terms of the Virginia Company charter, which claimed access to land as far as the coast of modern Maine. In 1614, Smith launched the first of two explorations along the coast and recorded his discoveries. Within those writings, he coined the name New England for the region. Soon, the name became part of the common vernacular and still is today.
As the colonies became more organized, trade was established between them and with Great Britain. A steady influx of immigrants allowed the region to grow and begin taking on the duties of forming local and colonial governments. By the mid-18th century, the boundaries of the New England colonies had merged into a more or less definite pattern. Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine made up the region known as New England. To many people, this collection of colonies almost had the appearance of being its own collective separate from other developing colonies to the south.
New England consistently led the way in the early years of the battle for independence from Great Britain, with many residents developing strategies and conducting skirmishes that ultimately led to the Revolutionary War. After the United States became an independent nation, the region continued to be at the forefront of movements such as prison reform, the abolition of slavery, and the absorption of immigrants into local cities during the late 19th and early 20th century.
Together with the mid-Atlantic states, New England today forms a section of the United States that is collectively referred to as the Northeastern United States. With a strong connection to the past tempered by a progressive approach to the cultural and social issues of the contemporary world, New England states continue to be leaders in such important issues as human rights, government reforms and environmental issues.
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