In 1630, a religious group with beliefs based on extremely traditional principles landed in New England. They were known as Puritans, and with their leader, John Winthrop, they founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The Puritans had come to America so they could worship in the way they pick out. As an outcome, their laws and lifestyles were based on Puritanism, making their culture unique among colonies of the time. The Puritan system of government was a combination of theocracy and modern democracy. All followers of the Puritan colony were compulsory to attend church and to pay taxes to the church, but not all colonists were church members. The colony also had arranged laws that provided some basic rights, including the right to vote for elected officials, although this right was only granted to members of the church. Although the Puritans were profoundly religious, members of the clergy were not permitted to hold public office; yet, the church worked closely with local government to guarantee that all laws were obeyed to. The Puritans placed a high significance on morality and living lives that were free from sin. As an effect, the laws of the Massachusetts Bay Colony focused heavily on regulating the sexual practices of the colonists and guaranteeing that they kept the Sabbath and lived according to the Puritan moral code. Also, the colony was far from being a democracy, giving most rights exclusively to Puritan men or in some circumstances all men. For instance, only Puritan men were allowed to vote in the colony.
