The Trial of Anne Hutchinson: Liberty, Law, and Intolerance in Puritan New England

by Mark C. Carnes, Michael P. Winship

By recreating one of the most tumultuous and significant episodes in early American history, The Trial of Anne Liberty, Law, and Intolerance in Puritan New England illustrates the struggle between the followers and allies of John Winthrop, Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, and those of Anne Hutchinson, a strong-willed and brilliant religious dissenter. Part of the “Reacting to the Past” series, this text consists of elaborate games in which students are assigned roles, informed by classic texts, set in particular moments of intellectual and social ferment. The game unfolds amidst a controversy that pushed Massachusetts to the brink of collapse and spurred a larger historical process that led to religious freedom and the modern concept of separation of church and state.

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Mark C. Carnes is Professor of History at Barnard College.

Reviews

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun activity! I read this for my New World Narratives class, and it entailed a super interesting simulation game that we all played. It was awesome to get in the headspace of a Puritan, and just see how it might've been like to exist in such a turbulent space. Gave me some big thoughts about what it means to be a "community in peril". Four stars for the overall activity, not just the read!