Providence Island 1630–1641

ProvidenceIslandwasfoundedin1630atthesametimeasMassachusettsBaybyEnglishpuritanswhothoughtanislandoffthecoastofNicaraguawasfarmorepromisingthanthecold,rockyshoresofNewEngland.Althoughtheyexpectedtheirstobecomeamodelgodlysociety,thesettlementneversucceededinbuildingthekindofunitedandorderlycommunitythattheNewEnglanderscreated.Infact,theybeganlarge-scaleuseofslaves,andplungedintotheprivateeringthatinvitedthecolony'sextinctionbytheSpanishin1641.Asawell-plannedandwell-financedfailure,ProvidenceIslandoffershistoriansastandardbywhichtojudgeothercolonies.ByexaminingthefailureofProvidenceIsland,theauthorilluminatesthecommoncharacteristicsinallthesuccessfulEnglishsettlements,thekeyinstitutionswithoutwhichmenandwomenwouldnotemigrateandacolony'seconomycouldnotthrive.ThisstudyofProvidenceIslandrevealstheremarkablesimilaritiesinmanybasicinstitutionsamongtheearlycolonialregions.