The article “The Trial of Anne Hutchinson” will be critically analyzed by looking into the author’s focal points. This describes the various pieces of evidence that were used by the author to justify how Hutchinson’s trial has turned into a critical event in American history as it represents the lack of religious tolerance that existed in the country during the 1600s. The political and religious environment during that period was expounded to understand the decisions that led to the trial and what impact it had on the state of religious inclusivity and acceptance in the United States (US) afterward. This paper will be furthered with my perspective on the trial and how I believe it reflects the ever-changing levels of acceptance in the country.
“The Trial of Anne Hutchinson” described in gruesome detail what occurred in the late 1620s up until the 1640s in the Massachusetts Bay Colony located in North America. Anne was born in Alford, England with her father Francis Marbury. Her father was previously placed on house arrest because of going against the Puritan principles that were being promoted by the Church of England. Her father eventually regained his license as a minister—however, these anti-church thoughts lingered in Anne’s mind. After Anne and her husband moved to the colony to follow Protestant Minister John Cotton, she started to share her interpretations with people (Linder 2020a). The ministers were unhappy with her actions. Anne believed that doing grace is as important as saying grace, which was heavily criticized by the ministers especially because she was a woman. This led to her eventual prosecution as guilty of heresy. After being banished, she and her daughters were scalped to death. The author reiterated that this trial is what led to the emergence of a more religiously inclusive US.
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The author’s information came from secondary sources; these were mostly books that told the life of Anne Hutchinson. The author, Professor Douglas Linder, came from the School of Law of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Professor Linder is a credible writer given his extensive history not just in academic teaching but also in writing various books that have been published by renowned peer-reviewed journals. He is known for being a twice recipient of the Elmer P. Pierson Teaching Award and a selected University of Kent Trustees Fellow (UMKC, n.d.). Moreover, various books such as Eve LaPlante’s American Jezebel: The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, The Woman Who Defied the Puritans, and David Hall’s The Antimonian Controversy 1636-1638: A Documentary History were used in the creation of “The Trial of Anne Hutchinson” (Linder 2020b). All these reasons would be sufficient to prove that the author used the correct resources and that he had the credentials to publish the accounts.
The author ended his article by stating that the trial helped women have better opportunities afterward; he also mentioned that it led to the 1637 General Court trial that gave “birth of a nation where liberty would take on a new and more generous meaning” (Linder 2020a). However, he was unable to provide sufficient proof that both of these lasted for long, especially since the Church was still a prominent figure even after 1637. Women, moreover, were not substantially given freedom afterward. Beth Clark and Arthur Schlesinger’s Anne Hutchinson: Religious Leader biography reiterated that the Puritans still ruled even during the early 1700s, which makes it questionable whether or not the trial had a substantial impact on religious beliefs in North America. Nevertheless, reading about her trial makes me reimagine what tribulations women and non-religious people had to go through throughout history just to acquire acceptance from others. It shows how crucial inclusivity is to make sure that people can live freely, especially since this is a cornerstone value that America wants to achieve.
In conclusion, the article revisited the state of America during the 1600s concerning both gender and religion. At the very least, the article was able to tell the story of a woman who tried to reinvent what faith meant for her even though it caused her demise in the end. The sources that the author used were mostly primary accounts, which consisted of multiple biographies. This was impressive because it shows his dedication to see various perspectives to effectively relay what this trial truly meant during that period. While its genuine impact can be criticized because of the lack of evidence to prove that it caused a substantial positive change in the freedom of religion and gender in the US, it was still impressionable as it paved way for a more diversified discussion of events that could explain why America is what it is now.
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