Oaths of Allegiance in Colonial New England

"Oaths of Allegiance in Colonial New England" by Charles Evans is a historical exploration of the pledges of loyalty that were essential to how colonial New England was governed and structured. Beginning with the history of oaths in England, it explains how oaths evolved from the Oath of Supremacy of Henry VIII to the Oath of Allegiance enacted by James I. The story explains that these oaths had an influence on the Pilgrims who founded New Plymouth and later shaped the systems employed by other colonies, including Massachusetts and Connecticut. The book also points out how complicated those oaths were, especially the parts about religion and the genuine intentions of the people who moved there, setting the stage for a close study of the legal and civic duties people had in these growing settlements.