New English Canaan
Quick Summary
New English Canaan is a book written by Thomas Morton, an early English settler in colonial America. Published in 1637, the work satirized the strict religious beliefs of the Pilgrims and Puritans, and it became the first book banned in the United States.1
Morton, a nonconformist businessman, arrived in Massachusetts in 1624. He established a settlement called Merry Mount, where he encouraged merriment and openly defied the Puritan neighbors. He erected a maypole, sold firearms to Native Americans, and used the Book of Common Prayer for religious services. These actions led to his arrest and exile multiple times.1
New English Canaan is divided into three volumes. It describes Indigenous culture and New England's flora and fauna. Morton also criticized Puritanism, portraying the settlers as religious fanatics who treated Native Americans cruelly. The governor of Plymouth, William Bradford, condemned the book as "infamous and scurrilous".1
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