The Protestant Reformation, which broke out after the great Martin Luther published his Ninety-five Theses in 1517, plunged Europe into religious turmoil. Lasts throughout the 16th and into the 17th century, culminating in the Thirty Years' War and the French Wars of Religion. After these wars, religious tolerance improved very little. Persecution of Christians by the Roman Catholic Church and government was common throughout Europe. This was true for England. The Anglican Church, under the control of King James I, was arguably one of the most powerful institutions in England. King James actively persecuted and often imprisoned all those who were not members of the Anglican Church, including Puritans and Separatists. Separatists, like me, fled England and ran to the Dutch, who welcomed us with open arms. However, although we were able to enjoy religious freedom in the Netherlands, we did not wish to remain immersed in Dutch culture and sought to establish our own colony elsewhere. We undertake the perilous journey across the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower to establish a new colony in Plymouth, New England. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay Before taking this trip, we anticipated the many problems we would encounter after arriving. We will face the daunting task of not only surviving in a hostile environment in a new country, but also of creating an effective government system that will be both strong and representative of the desires of the people. We must decide what role religion will play in government and in our daily lives. In addition to the difficulties of establishing a new colony and a new system of government, outside forces pose a major threat to Plymouth Colony. We, the pilgrims, will encounter native tribes both hostile and friendly and will have to develop a long-term plan to deal with them. During our trip, we have begun to draft a formal agreement to establish political institutions, but we still need to address many specific issues that are close to my heart. I think we are writing a plan for Plymouth government. Here is a framework and rationale for such a scheme: Plymouth Colony will strive to be a God-centered community, advancing cultural, social, political, and economic institutions based on Mosaic law and Christian principles, which represent an honest aspiration of the separatist People of Scrooby, England. This aspiration is illustrated by the course of our people's struggle as we faced religious persecution that forced us to leave our homes. Although we have faced great difficulties in the past, our difficult journey as a people will soon end. Today, on the threshold of this great victory, our people seek a chance for prosperity and religious freedom in this new land. Life in Plymouth Colony will give our people the freedom to govern according to our own rules and beliefs, without religious persecution. After years of political and religious oppression under a cruel monarch, we are striving to create a system of government in which all people are fairly represented. I propose that Plymouth Colony operate with a multi-branch democratic system of government. This will not only allow our colony to operate efficiently, but also tomaintain a balance of power between the people, Church and State. Our legislative body will consist of the General Court, which will be responsible for writing laws and implementing policies for all of Plymouth Colony. He will also have the power to impose taxes on the colony's residents, which are crucial to funding the ministry, as donations have so far proven insufficient. The Tribunal will be composed of free men and members of Churches. Although church attendance will be mandatory for all residents, church membership will be limited to those who have received God's grace through a personal conversion event. However, in Plymouth Colony, a simple profession of faith was enough to be accepted. The term "freeman" means any adult male owner of property residing in Plymouth Colony and whose status as a freeman has been approved by the General Court. All members of the Church will directly elect the members of the Tribunal. This method of voting will guarantee religious freedom and moralistic governance. In addition, there will be local levels of government. Each town in the colony will have the power to create legislative bodies with locally elected members to create and implement policy in their respective towns. These local policies may take effect as long as they do not conflict with laws issued by the Court. Cities should establish their own regulations to manage the daily local affairs of their residents to ensure that the needs of all citizens are met. Each city will also be considered an individual religious congregation. Individual congregations will be left to their own affairs. There will be no central church imposing on local congregations. Individual congregations will dictate their own membership standards, hire their own pastors, elders or deacons, and handle other daily tasks. The Governor of Plymouth Colony, head of the executive branch, will act as both manager of governance and liaison with the outside world. He will be elected by the members of the Tribunal. As head of the central government of the Plymouth Colony, he would be responsible for overseeing relations with Native Americans and monitoring trade agreements. The governor will also be responsible for organizing defense against foreigners. In addition, it will play an important role in the legislative process. Once the law has passed the General Court and received approval from the Church, the governor can choose to veto or sign the law. He can also appoint local government leaders and members of the judiciary. This will establish a balance of power within the colony to ensure that no single leader or group holds all political power, as was the case under the English monarchy. The church will be part of Plymouth's third branch of government. All laws and policies created by the Tribunal must be approved by a small group of the Church's most senior officials to ensure they are consistent with basic Christian principles. If a law is questioned regarding its adherence to moral and religious principles, the Church can rule on its legitimacy. This will create an equal balance of power between church and state and ensure that Plymouth remains a theocratic community. A multi-branch democratic system of government will not only meet the needs of all residents of the colony, but will also ensure meaningful representation of the governed. In Plymouth Colony this will mean the lasting freedom and prosperity our people were denied under the.