Anne Hutchinson was a significant figure in early American history, known for her religious beliefs and her role as a leader in the Antinomian controversy in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Hutchinson was born in Alford, Lincolnshire, England in 1591. She was the daughter of Francis Marbury, a clergyman, and Bridget Dryden, who was related to the powerful Dryden family. Anne received a good education and was well-read, particularly in theology. In 1612, she married William Hutchinson, a successful merchant, and the couple had 15 children together.
In 1634, the Hutchinsons emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony, a Puritan settlement in New England. Anne quickly became involved in the religious life of the colony and began hosting meetings for women at her home, where she discussed theology and the Bible. These meetings were popular and attracted many attendees, including both men and women.
However, Hutchinson's views on theology and salvation differed from those of the Puritan clergy in the colony. She believed in the idea of "the inner light," or the belief that individuals could have direct communication with God and receive personal revelation. This was at odds with the Puritan belief in predestination, or the idea that God had already determined who would be saved and who would be damned.
Hutchinson's views and her leadership role in the colony sparked controversy and led to the Antinomian controversy, a significant event in early American history. The Puritan clergy accused her of heresy and she was brought before the General Court, the governing body of the colony, to stand trial. Despite her eloquent defense, Hutchinson was found guilty and banished from the colony.
In 1638, Hutchinson and her family left the Massachusetts Bay Colony and settled in the Dutch colony of New Netherland (present-day New York). There, she continued to hold meetings and discuss theology with others. In 1643, Hutchinson and several members of her family were killed by Native Americans during the Pequot War.
Anne Hutchinson's life and legacy have been the subject of much historical study and debate. She is often remembered as a religious leader and a pioneer for women's rights in the early American colonies. Her beliefs and actions helped to shape the religious and political landscape of the time and continue to be studied and debated by historians and scholars today.