One hundred and seventy years after the first president wrote those words pledging freedom of religion in the United States, the thirty-fifth president was elected. John Winthrop would have been delighted that the new president came from a Boston family. That is, until Winthrop learned that that Boston family was Catholic.
In a kind of microbial comeuppance, the Protestant bastion Winthrop was able to build in the 1630s because a plague had wiped out its original Indian inhabitants by 1620 would become the Catholic capital of America after an infectious mold destroyed the Irish potato crop in the 1840s, flinging the refugees of the resulting famine, among them the ancestors of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, to Boston in droves, bringing their "popery" with them.
On January 9, 1961, eleven days before his inauguration, President-elect Kennedy gives a speech at the State House on Boston's Beacon Hill to a Joint Convention of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. His opening remarks, including the fact that his grandparents were born there and the hope that his grandchildren will be, too, seem sentimental on the page. But in the sound recording of that event, the tone of his voice is solemn, nearly fu nereal. He claims it is not a farewell address, but that is how it sounds. He calls himself a "son of Massachusetts," and here that does not come off as boosterism. To be a son of Massachusetts is to carry the cumbersome weight of history, though Kennedy is proud to bear that burden.
"For no man about to enter high office in this country can ever be unmindful of the contributions which this state has made to our national greatness," he tells them. "Its leaders have shaped our destiny long before the great republic was born. For what Pericles said of the Athenians has long been true of this commonwealth: 'We do not imitate-for we are a model to others.' "
For a man who always looks so crisp and modern on film, that last opinion could not be more antique. Nowadays, I cannot imagine that an American president from Massachusetts would ever be allowed to stand up in his home state and evoke Pericles in order to put forth the notion that the rest of the country should look up to the place nicknamed "Taxachusetts," the place where men are allowed to marry other men. Nowadays, I cannot imagine an American from Massachusetts could get elected president period, much less a Harvard grad prone to elitist quotations from ancient Greece.
Kennedy goes on to say, The enduring qualities of Massachusetts-the common threads woven by the Pilgrim and the Puritan, the fisherman and the farmer, the Yankee and the immigrant-will not be and could not be forgotten in this nation's executive mansion.
"Allow me to illustrate," he says. He talks about how he's spent the last couple of months planning for his presidency. As he makes ready, one man has been on his mind.
"I have been guided by the standard John Winthrop set before his shipmates on the flagship Arbella Arbella three hundred and thirty-one years ago, as they, too, faced the task of building a new government on a perilous frontier," Kennedy says. three hundred and thirty-one years ago, as they, too, faced the task of building a new government on a perilous frontier," Kennedy says.
Then he boils down the two phrases from "A Model of Christian Charity" that mean the most to him: "We must always consider, [Winthrop] said, that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us."
I fall for those words every time I hear them, even though they're dangerous, even though they're arrogant, even though they're rude.
"Today the eyes of all people are truly upon us," Kennedy points out. He does not mention that the whole world is staring in America's direction because we have a lot of giant scary bombs, but I am guessing that is partly what he meant. He says that he hopes that all branches of government, from the top on down, are mindful of "their great responsibilities." Responsibilities that include trying not to use the giant scary bombs.
"For we are setting out upon a voyage in 1961 no less hazardous than that undertaken by the Arbella Arbella in 1630," he continues. "We are committing ourselves to tasks of state-craft no less awesome than that of governing the Massachusetts Bay Colony, beset as it was by terror without and disorder within." in 1630," he continues. "We are committing ourselves to tasks of state-craft no less awesome than that of governing the Massachusetts Bay Colony, beset as it was by terror without and disorder within."
He then paraphrases the same verse from the Gospel of Luke that John Cotton evoked in 1630 in his farewell sermon to the passengers on the Arbella. Arbella. "For of those to whom much is given, much is required." He says that history will judge him and everyone else on four things-courage, judgment, integrity, and dedication, "the historic qualities of the Bay Colony and the Bay State," Kennedy adds. "For of those to whom much is given, much is required." He says that history will judge him and everyone else on four things-courage, judgment, integrity, and dedication, "the historic qualities of the Bay Colony and the Bay State," Kennedy adds.
He does not sound entirely steady. "I ask for your help and your prayers, as I embark on this new and solemn journey," he pleads. At this grave moment, he is not a man merely talking about the Arbella. Arbella. He is on the dock in Southampton, ready to board the He is on the dock in Southampton, ready to board the Arbella, Arbella, along with the people before him. The mood is ominous and the fear is real. But this is a new beginning and he is not alone. along with the people before him. The mood is ominous and the fear is real. But this is a new beginning and he is not alone.
MOST USEFUL PRIMARY SOURCES.
The Complete Writings of Roger Williams, edited by Perry Miller, seven volumes (Russell & Russell, 1964; based on the Narragansett Club edition of 1867). edited by Perry Miller, seven volumes (Russell & Russell, 1964; based on the Narragansett Club edition of 1867).
The Correspondence of Roger Williams, edited by Glenn W. LaFantasie, two volumes (Rhode Island Historical Society/ Brown University Press, 1988). edited by Glenn W. LaFantasie, two volumes (Rhode Island Historical Society/ Brown University Press, 1988).
John Cotton, "God's Promise to His Plantation" included in The Puritans in America: A Narrative Anthology, The Puritans in America: A Narrative Anthology, edited by Alan Heimert (Harvard University Press, 1985). edited by Alan Heimert (Harvard University Press, 1985).
The Journal of John Winthrop, 1630-1649, edited by Richard S. Dunn, James Savage, and Laetitia Yeandle (Harvard University Press, 1996).
John Mason, A Brief History of the Pequot War, A Brief History of the Pequot War, included in included in Puritans in the New World: A Critical Anthology, Puritans in the New World: A Critical Anthology, edited by David D. Hall (Princeton University Press, 2004). edited by David D. Hall (Princeton University Press, 2004).
The Puritans: A Sourcebook of Their Writings, edited by Perry Miller and Thomas H. Johnson (Dover, 2001; originally published by Harper & Row, 1963). Includes, among many others, William Bradford's edited by Perry Miller and Thomas H. Johnson (Dover, 2001; originally published by Harper & Row, 1963). Includes, among many others, William Bradford's History of Plymouth Plantation, History of Plymouth Plantation, Edward Johnson's Edward Johnson's Wonder-working Providence, Wonder-working Providence, John Winthrop's "A Modell of Christian Charity," Thomas Hooker's "A True Night of Sin," Anne Bradstreet's poems, and Thomas Shephard, Jr.'s, letter to his son. John Winthrop's "A Modell of Christian Charity," Thomas Hooker's "A True Night of Sin," Anne Bradstreet's poems, and Thomas Shephard, Jr.'s, letter to his son.
Roger Williams, A Key into the Language of America A Key into the Language of America (Applewood Books, 1997; reprint of the fifth edition published by the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Tercentenary Committee, 1936; originally published in London, 1643). (Applewood Books, 1997; reprint of the fifth edition published by the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Tercentenary Committee, 1936; originally published in London, 1643). A Key A Key is included in is included in The Complete Writings of Roger Williams, The Complete Writings of Roger Williams, but this edition, issued by this heroic publisher, is especially handy and beautiful. but this edition, issued by this heroic publisher, is especially handy and beautiful.
The Winthrop Papers, volumes 3, 4, and 5, edited by Allyn Bailey Forbes (Massachusetts Historical Society, 1943-47). volumes 3, 4, and 5, edited by Allyn Bailey Forbes (Massachusetts Historical Society, 1943-47).
William Wood, New England's Prospect New England's Prospect (University of Massachusetts Press, 1994; originally published in London, 1634). (University of Massachusetts Press, 1994; originally published in London, 1634).
John Underhill, Newes from America Newes from America (University of Nebraska, 2007; originally published, 1638). (University of Nebraska, 2007; originally published, 1638).
NOTE ON LANGUAGE.
I have capitalized "God" throughout for two reasons-because the Protestants' deity is a character Himself, and as a way of constantly reminding the reader how present and powerful and terrifying this character was in the Puritans' lives. I have also slightly modernized some seventeenth-century spellings. There wasn't any uniform English spelling at the time, anyway. So when quoting letters and sermons, I have, for example, changed "humili tie" to "humility" and purged the superfluous "k" from the end of "Mystick" and the extra "l" from "modell" to make the text more uniform and easier on the reader. I have also gone with the spelling "Pequot" for that tribe, even though Winthrop and others called them "Pequod" (which is of course the spelling Herman Melville went with when naming Ahab's ship after them in Moby-Dick Moby-Dick).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
In the ten years he's been my editor and friend, Geoffrey Kloske has never let me down. The words "I'm so lucky" and "breathing down my neck" spring to mind.
Special thanks to: Amy Vowell and Owen Brooker for once again traveling with me to places they would prefer to avoid; David Levinthal for his cover photograph; Marcel Dzama for his illustration; Steven "the Colonel" Barclay and Sara Bixler at Steven Barclay Agency; Jaime Wolf for lawyering; Laura Perciasepe, Mih-Ho Cha, and copy editor Ed Cohen at Riverhead; Nick Hornby for his Englishness and kindness, though not necessarily in that order; David Shipley at the New York Times New York Times for editing an essay I cannibalized herein; Ira Glass for editing a for editing an essay I cannibalized herein; Ira Glass for editing a This American Life This American Life essay I pilfered here as well, and for his many years of friendship, partnership, and editorial stewardship-all the best ships, really; my generous theological pen pal Reza Aslan; and always and particularly Bennett Miller for being Bennett Miller. essay I pilfered here as well, and for his many years of friendship, partnership, and editorial stewardship-all the best ships, really; my generous theological pen pal Reza Aslan; and always and particularly Bennett Miller for being Bennett Miller.
Also helpful and/or encouraging: J. J. Abrams; Brad Bird; Eric Bogosian; Michael Comeau and Jennifer Fauxsmith at the Massachusetts Archives; Patrick Daughters; Jeremy Dibbell and Elaine Grublin at the Massachusetts Historical Society; Shelley Dick; Dave Eggers; Michael and Jamie Giacchino; Eric Gilliland; Jake Gyllenhaal; Daniel Handler; John Hodgman; Spike Jonze; Ben Karlin; Catherine Keener; Nick Laird; Lisa Leingang; Greil and Jenny Marcus; Tom McCarthy; Clyde, Dermot, Ellen, Kieran, and Michael Mulroney for their hospitality on Cape Cod; Jim Nelson; John Oliver; John Petrizzo; Christopher Quinn; David Rakoff; David Rosenthal; Rodney Rothman; David Sedaris; John-Mario Sevilla; Jonathan Marc Sherman; Zadie Smith; the Family Sontheimer; Pat and Janie Vowell for parenting; Gina Way; Wendy Weil; and Stu Zicherman.
This book is dedicated to Scott Seeley, Ted Thompson, and Joan Kim, the founding staff of 826NYC in Brooklyn. They share a reverence for words and the ideal of community with the Massachusetts Bay Colony (but not the banishing or the burning people alive). Thanks to them, the city on the hill might be Park Slope.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR.
SARAH VOWELL is the author of Assassination Vacation, The Partly Cloudy Patriot, Take the Cannoli, Assassination Vacation, The Partly Cloudy Patriot, Take the Cannoli, and and Radio On. Radio On. She is a contributing editor for public radio's She is a contributing editor for public radio's This American Life. This American Life. She lives in New York City. She lives in New York City.
ALSO BY SARAH VOWELL.
Assassination Vacation
The Partly Cloudy Patriot
Take the Cannoli