“Their government is after the English form. The Governor has his Council, which is chosen every year by the entire community, by election.”
– Isaack de Rasieres, 1628, Source

Church and state were governed separately in Plymouth Colony. Religious matters were the responsibility of the church leaders. In the Colony’s early years, Elder William Brewster led the church. The Plymouth church had no regular minister until the 1630s. Civic leadership in Plymouth was by election. The colonists drew on their understanding of their rights as English subjects in structuring their early government.

“And finding that as freeborne subjects of the State of Engl. we hither came indewed wth all & singular the priviledges belong to such, in the first place we thinke good that it be establish[ed] for an act That according to the & due priviledge of the subject aforesaid no imposicon law or ordnance be made or imposed vpon vs by ourselves [or others at] present or to come but such as shall be made [or] imposed by consent according to the free liberties [of the] State & Kingdome of Engl. & no otherwise.”
– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Laws 1623-1682, ed. David Pulsifer (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1861), 6.

Under the initial authority of the compact signed aboard the Mayflower in 1620 and then under the successive patents acquired for Plymouth in 1621 and 1629, a Governor, with his Assistant or Assistants, was elected annually and presided over the General Court.

The General Court originally consisted of the “freemen,” who voted on laws and tried court cases. Adult men in good standing could gain the status of “freeman” by vote of the existing freemen of the town, which granted basic citizenship rights of voting in elections and being eligible to hold office, as well as collectively serving as the legislative body.

“That the lawes & ordnances of the Colony & for the Governmt of the same be made onely by the ffremen of the Corporacon & no other…”
– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Laws 1623-1682, ed. David Pulsifer (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1861), 11.

The Governor and his Assistants, or deputy governors, served as executive officers and magistrates.

The Colony’s first governor was John Carver (c.1585-1621). Carver, a deacon of the Separatist congregation and agent in preparations for the Mayflower voyage, was confirmed as the Colony’s chosen leader immediately after the signing of the Mayflower Compact at Cape Cod. He was part of the exploring party that selected Plymouth as the site for their settlement and headed the first diplomatic encounter with the Wampanoag at Plymouth, negotiating with their great sachem, the Massasoit, on an alliance of mutual aid in March 1621. The next month, Carver complained of a headache while tending his fields on a hot day and died a few hours later. “He was buried in the best manner they could,” wrote William Bradford, “with some volleys of shot by all that bore arms.”

Following Carver’s unexpected death in April 1621, the colony then elected William Bradford (1589/90-1657) as their new governor. The Colony’s second governor was also its longest serving. Bradford held the position for most of the remaining 36 years of his life. His wisdom, stamina and vision were large factors in the success of the Colony.

Bradford was also Plymouth Colony’s historian. His manuscript, “Of Plimoth Plantation,” is the most complete authority for the story of the Pilgrims and the early years of the Colony.

Learn More about William Bradford

In 1624, as the Colony’s population was boosted with the arrival of more settlers, the number of Assistants was increased. During Bradford’s lifetime, it changed from just one Assistant to five, and eventually to seven, creating a council of advisors for the Governor:

“The time of new election of ther officers for this year [1624] being come, and ye number of their people increased, and their troubls and occasions therwith, the Gov’r desired them to chainge ye persons, as well as renew ye election; and also to adde more Assistants to ye Gov’r for help & counsell, and ye better carrying on of affairs. Showing tht it was necessarie it should be so. If it was any honour or benefite, it was fitte others should be made pertakers of it; if it was a burthen, (as doubtles it was) it was but equall others should help to bear it; and yt this was ye end [the purpose] of Annuall Elections. The issue was, that as before ther was but one Assistante, they now chose 5 giving the Gov’r a duble voyce; and aftwards they increased them to 7 which course hath continued to this day.”
– William Bradford, Of Plimoth Plantation

Under the leadership of Edward Winslow (1595-1655) in 1636, a committee was formed consisting of Governor Winslow, his assistants, and representatives from the towns of Plymouth, Scituate and Duxbury, to revise the colony laws. They drew up a written framework of government, for the most part confirming what had already been established, which was adopted and enacted into law on November 15, 1636. The new framework delineated the duties and terms of offices, including the office of Governor:

“The office of the Govr for the time being consi[sts in] the execucõn of such laws & ordnances as are or shall be [made] & established for the good of this Corporacõn according [to the] severall bownds & limits thereof. vizt: In calling togeth[er] or advising wth the Assistants or Councell of the said Corporacõn upon such materiall occasions or so seeming to h[im,] as time shall bring foorth. In wch assembly & all other the Govr to propound the occasion of the Assembly & ha[ve] a dowble voice therein. If the Assistants iudge the case too great to be discided by them & refer it to the Generall Court, then the Governor to sumon a Court by warning all the ffreemen aforesaid that are then extant, and there also to propownd cawses, and goe before the Assistants in the examinacõn of pticulars, and to propound such sentence as shall be determined. ffurther it shall be lawfull for him to arrest & comit to ward any offenders provided that wt all convent spede he shall bring the cawse to hearing either of the Assistance or Generall Court according to the nature of the offence. Also it shall be lawfull for him to examine any suspicious psons for evill against the Colony, as also to intercept or op[pose] such as he conceiveth may tend to the overthrow of the same. And that this Office continue one whole yeare & no more wthout renewing by eleccõn.”
– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Laws 1623-1682, ed. David Pulsifer (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1861), 7.

Learn More about Edward Winslow

After 1639, each Plymouth Colony town sent representatives to the General Court held in Plymouth. In 1641, this included representatives from Plymouth, Duxbury, Scituate, Sandwich, Taunton, Barnstable, Yarmouth and “Rexhame” (soon after known as Marshfield).

In 1643, in response to regional unrest with the Pequot and other Indigenous nations, Plymouth Colony entered into Articles of Confederation with Massachusetts Bay, New Haven, and Connecticut. For a few years under the confederation, appointed commissioners of the United Colonies had authority to act on decisions related to war, though not on other matters, which remained under local governance.

In 1650, despite concerns about the spotty attendance of deputies (representatives) as the colony expanded geographically, the General Court at Plymouth affirmed that magistrates and deputies would continue to act as one body in the General Court and the established system of government would not be changed.

In the 1660s, Plymouth Colony encountered more flagrant encroachment on their boundaries and jurisdiction from Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, and other colonial powers. The governor re-elected throughout the entire decade was Thomas Prence (c.1600-1673), who had arrived in Plymouth as a passenger on the Fortune in 1621. Prence served as governor for 16 consecutive years from 1656 to 1672, plus a previous term in 1633/4.

During Prence’s extended governorship in the Colony’s later decades, he and other Plymouth leaders sought to maintain their boundaries and confirm the authority of their patent in England. They also enacted increasingly harsh measures against Wampanoag inhabitants in their efforts to gain control over lands.

In 1664, the body of the freemen in General Court declared resolutions to

….maintaine theire Just Rightes which for many yeares they haue bine posessed of in all those lands from Cape Codd to Saconett point with Pochassett Causumsett and the lands about Rehoboth to Patuckett Riuer and as farr vp the said Riuer till wee meet the Massachusetts line which crosses the said Riuer and thence to Coahassett as the line Runs And that incase any pson or psons bee seated or shall seat themselues within any the said lands or cause any cattle to bee brought within the said bounds or otherwise acte to our Treaspas without leaue from this Gou ment and not withdraw after warning giuen them that then some effectuall course bee taken for the remoueall of them”
– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, Laws 1623-1682, ed. David Pulsifer (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1861),186.

The Colony Goes to War

Governor Josiah Winslow (c1620 – 1680) was elected after Governor Prence’s death and took an aggressive approach to conflicts over Indigenous territory and colonial expansion. His hard stance brought long simmering tensions to a head.

In June 1675, Wampanoag leader Metacom, the son of the Massasoit, known by the English as “King Philip,” decided to act against the encroachment and oppression of his people that had been going on for decades. Beginning in Plymouth Colony, Metacom, with his followers and allies, took up arms against the English to drive them out of ancestral Wampanoag homelands. The war soon engulfed all New England. The colonies came together to defeat Metacom’s forces in the summer of 1676. Surviving Indigenous soldiers were executed and their families sold into slavery as punishment.

Learn More about King Philip’s War

After the war, pressures from abroad eroded Plymouth’s standing. The upheaval of King Philip’s War caught the attention of royal authorities overseas. In July 1679, letters from the Crown were publicly read at Plymouth that expressed official disfavor with the war; colony officials scrambled to explain their actions.

…wherby it appeered that the collonie suffered blame for that his matie had not receiued a pticular accoumpt of the transacting of matters relateing to our late warr with the Indians, which befell our collonie by reason of the miscarryage of our letters directed to his matie in anno 1677. The pmises considered, with other pticulars inscribed and inserted in the said his maties letters of momentus consideration, our said collonie, by theire representatiues then psent, saw cause to speed away another addresse to his matie, therin to psent him with a true intelligence of matters, and to remoue the misinterpretation of our intensions and proceedings respecting the pmises; and for that end requested, impowered, and betrusted our much honored Gou with that matter, whoe att the same time psented them with a writing which himself, in faithfulnes to the collonies interest, had prepared in order to further proceeding, which, being publickly read, was vnanimusly approued, and ajudged fitt to be psented to his matie, and hopefull, through the blessing of God to procure a renewed continuance of his fauor towards vs; and alsoe our honored Court renewed theire sollisitation of his honor to prosecute the said waighty designe in theire behalfe with all posible expedition, whoe loueingly vndertooke the same, of whose faithfulnes in like and other cases wee haue had large experience.”
– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, ed. Nathaniel Shurtleff. Court Orders, Volume 6: 1678-1691 (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1856), 20-21.

The following summer, efforts to improve communication with England produced some relief. A letter from the King to Plymouth Colony’s Governor was again publicly read before the General Court in June 1680.

….wherin was expressed his maties fauorable aspect on this collonie, with his settlement of Mount Hope theron, with a further amplyfication of his graciouse cander in ading promises of further grace, in a loueing tender to enlarge our pattent liberties and priuilidges; and in thankefull acknowlidgment hereof, it was vnanimusly concluded by our said Court a messenger or two shalbe sent ouer as agents in the collonies behalf, as a testimoniall of our reall thankfulnes vnto his majesty, and to waite his pleasure for the completing of his said gracious tenders to us, for which, as primarily and mostly wee stand engaged unto our good God, soe nextly wee lye under many obligations of thankfulness unto his matie, our dread sovr, and such others as have bin instruments for our good….”

– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, ed. Nathaniel Shurtleff. Court Orders, Volume 6: 1678-1691 (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1856), 36-37.

Governor Josiah Winslow died in office in December 1680, the 60th anniversary of the Colony’s establishment. His elected successor, Thomas Hinckley, was sworn in on June 7, 1681. At that Court, it was voted that:

“forty pounds, silver mony of New England, be allowed for and towards the expenses and charges of our honored Gour [Winslow], late deceased, about his funeral, as a testimonial of the colonies indeared love and affection unto him.”
– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, ed. Nathaniel Shurtleff. Court Orders, Volume 6: 1678-1691 (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1856), 63.

Thomas Hinckley was Plymouth Colony’s last governor, serving for ten years to the colony’s dissolution in 1691/2. From the start of his tenure, Hinckley tried to obtain confirmation of the colony’s patent. After seeking direction from a council of advisors, the governor arranged for Ichabod Sewall to be sent as an agent to petition the King in 1682. The effort was unsuccessful.

A few years later, Hinckley was at the helm when New England was unsettled by a dramatic alteration of government imposed by Crown appointee Sir Edmund Andros. The charters of all the New England colonies were revoked and a new, overarching administration created, the United Colonies of New England, also known as the Dominion of New England (which also included Mid-Atlantic colonies), governed by Andros from 1686 to 1689. During the reign of Andros, Plymouth Colony was reorganized into county administration.

The End of Plymouth Colony

The overthrow of King James II and ascent of William and Mary in England’s “Glorious Revolution,” triggered a revolt against Andros in Boston. The royal government under King William and Queen Mary issued new charters to restore most of the colonies that had been absorbed in the Dominion of New England. Plymouth, however, was not given a charter.

At the General Court of Election, June 4, 1689, Plymouth’s representatives looked to their history and affirmed their loyalties to plead for the restoration of their former status.

“WHEREAS, through the great changes divine Providence hath ordered out, both in England and in this country, we, the loyall subjects of the crown of England, are left in an unsetled estate, destitute of government and exposed to the ill consequents thereof; and having heretofore enjoyed a quiet settlement of goverment in this their maties colony of New Plimouth for more than threescore and six years without any interruption; having also been by the late Kings of England from time to time, by their royall letters, graciously owned and acknowledged therein, whereby notwith standing our late unjust interruption and suspention therefrom by the illeagall arbitrary power of S[i]r Edmond Andros, now ceased, the Generall Court held here in the name of their present maties, William and Mary, King and Queen of England &c, together with the encouragement given by their said maties gracious declarations, and in humble confidence of their sd maties good liking, doe, therefore, hereby resume and declare their reassuming of their said former way of government, according to such wholsome constitutions, rules, and orders as were here in force in June, 1686, our title therto being warranted by prescription and otherwise as aforesaid and expect a reddy submission there unto by all their maties good subjects of this colony, untill their maties or this Court shall otherwise order.”
– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, ed. Nathaniel Shurtleff Court Orders, Volume 6: 1678-1691 (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1856), 208-9.

The Court authorized Governor Hinckley to present their request to the King and Queen of England, “for the reestablishment of their former enjoyed liberties and privileges, both sacred and civill….And also to endeavour the regaining of our publique seal if it may be, and if otherwise to procure a new one, and this colony to defray the charge of it.”

The following summer, in June 1690, Plymouth received word of another round of colonial consolidation, and only narrowly avoided being made part of New York Colony. Then the colonists learned that they were ““…like to be annexed to Boston, but the same hindered by Mr Wiswall for the present; being also informed there is a possibility that we may obtain a charter for our selves if we speedily address to their Maties imploy a suitable person to manage & rayse sufficient moneys to car[r]y the same to and end…”

Hinckley and the Plymouth Court launched a public information campaign to ensure that the inhabitants of all of the colony’s townships were notified of the situation. In each town, people were called to assemble and decide:

“…whether it be their minds we should sit still & fall into the hands of those that can catch us, without using means to procure that which may be for our own good, or prevent that which may be our inconvenience, of if they will act, then to know what instruments they would improve, and what money they can rayse; and must know that if a pattent can be procured, it will not take up less than 500ld sterling, which would take nere 700ld of our money”
– Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England, ed. Nathaniel Shurtleff. Court Orders, Volume 6: 1678-1691 (Boston: From the Press of William White, 1856), 259.

The Court authorized the Governor on the colony’s behalf to delicately offer recompense to Sir Henry Ashurst, Reverend Increase Mather, and Reverend Ichabod Wiswall to help Plymouth procure a charter. It was all to no avail.

In the charter issued to the Province of Massachusetts Bay on October 7, 1691, Plymouth Colony (as well as Maine, Acadia or Nova Scotia, and all the area in between), was brought under the government of Massachusetts Bay, on the grounds it would

“put them in a better Condicon of defence…and will much tend not only to the safety but to the Flourishing estate of Our Subjects in the said parts of New England and alsoe to the advanceing of the ends for which the said Plantancons were at first encouraged…”
– The Charter of Massachusetts Bay, 1691

Over Plymouth Colony’s 72 years of existence, only six individuals served as governor.   

Governors of Plymouth Colony

1620                               John Carver
1621-1632                     William Bradford
1633                               Edward Winslow
1634                               Thomas Prence
1635                               William Bradford
1636                               Edward Winslow
1637                               William Bradford
1638                               Thomas Prence
1639-1643                     William Bradford
1644                               Edward Winslow
1645-1656                     William Bradford
1657-1672                     Thomas Prence
1673-1679                      Josiah Winslow
1680-1691                     Thomas Hinckley