Anne Hutchinson was a champion of women’s rights and religious freedom.
Explanation:
Hutchinson was born in England as Anne Marbury. She married William Hutchinson in 1612, after which they emigrated to Massachusetts in 1634. There she organized well-attended weekly meetings during which religious matters were discussed.
Her opinion about the importance of a more personal spiritual relationship with God and her criticism of the Puritan hierarchy led to allegations of heresy, including by Governor John Winthrop. In 1637 she was banned from Massachusetts by the colonial court and in 1638 she was excommunicated by her church.
Together with her family and followers, she migrated to modern-day Rhode Island. After her husband's death, she went to New Netherland because of the threatening influence of Massachusetts on Rhode Island. However, New Netherland was at that time at war with Indian tribes in the War of Kieft. In 1643, Hutchinson and her company were attacked by Indians and nearly all killed; the only survivor of the massacre was her 9-year-old daughter Susanna.
