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Line 163: + − Without a clear land patent for the area they landed in, and without a charter to form a government, it was often, in the early years, unclear as to what land was under their jurisdiction. The issue was partially resolved in 1630, in a document known as the "Warwick Patent", which granted William Bradford sole proprietorship of the entire territory of Plymouth Colony. While it made it clear that Bradford (and by extension Plymouth Colony) now had official jurisdiction over its own territory, it was unclear as to exactly what territory that included. The two significant borders of Plymouth Colony over the coming years would be its northern border (that with Massachusetts Bay Colony) and its western border (that with Rhode Island). Bradford could have used the new patent to claim complete ownership of the entire colony; he prudently did not. However, he did reserve all rights to three tracts of land along the eastern shore of the Narragansett Bay, which would in the future bring Plymouth into conflict with Rhode Island over the governance of these lands.<ref name=bucklin> {{cite web | last = Bucklin | first = Leonard | title = Rehobeth Area 1650 Rhode Island Massachusetts Boundaries | publisher = Bucklinsociety.net | date = 1998 | url = http://www.bucklinsociety.net/rehoboth_area.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-03}}</ref>+ − − In 1639 and 1640, Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth worked out their differences on their mutual boundary with the exception of the Narragansett Bay region. As Bradford maintained personal ownership of the region, it was largely unavailable for settling by Plymouth residents, as paradoxically by allowing Plymouth Settlers free reign to settle the area would imply that he had relinquished his title to it. Since Massachusetts Bay claimed this area, this would give them the legal ability to enforce its claim (since the area would be free and clear without any patent). As part of a deal to resolve the issue, Bradford surrendered his patent rights to the area to the Plymouth Colony, and Massachusetts Bay agreed to recognize the rights of Plymouth Colony to include the area along the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay and along the east side of the [[Pawtucket River]] for a mile or so.<ref name=bucklin/> In 1644, "The Old Colony Line", which had been surveyed in 1639, was formally accepted as the boundary between Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth.<ref name=slade> {{cite web | last = Payne | first = Morse | title = The Survey System of the Old Colony | publisher = Slade and Associates | date = 2006 | url = http://www.slade-associates.com/survey.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-03}}</ref> − − The situation became further complicated with the arrival of [[Roger Williams]], who in 1636 settled near modern Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He was forcebly evicted to maintain Plymouth's claim to the area. As various settlers from both Rhode Island and Plymouth began to settle along the area, the exact nature of the western boundary of Plymouth became more and more confused and was not fully resolved until 1740.
→Boundaries of Plymouth Colony: tighten up
==Geography==
==Geography==
===Boundaries of Plymouth Colony===
===Boundaries of Plymouth Colony===
The boundaries were not clearly set out by London authorities. In 1630 the "Warwick Patent" granted Bradford sole proprietorship of the entire territory of Plymouth Colony, but was vague on the outer limits. To the north was Massachusetts Bay Colony and to the west Rhode Island. In 1639-40 Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth settled their boundary with the exception of the Narragansett Bay region. Bradford surrendered his patent rights to the area to the Plymouth Colony, and Massachusetts Bay agreed to recognize the rights of Plymouth Colony to include the area along the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay and along the east side of the [[Pawtucket River]] for a mile or so. In 1644, "The Old Colony Line", which had been surveyed in 1639, was formally accepted as the boundary between Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth.
When [[Roger Williams]] in 1636 settled near modern Pawtucket, Rhode Island, he was forcebly evicted to maintain Plymouth's claim to the area. As various settlers from both Rhode Island and Plymouth began to settle along the area, the exact nature of the western boundary of Plymouth became more and more confused and was not fully resolved until 1740.
==Social History==
==Social History==