Advanced Placement US History (AP US History) Practice Exam

Anne Hutchinson is historically known for what significant action?

1. Establishing a colony in Massachusetts

2. Being banished to Rhode Island

3. Leading a religious movement

4. Writing the first feminist text

The correct answer is: Being banished to Rhode Island

Anne Hutchinson is historically recognized primarily for being banished to Rhode Island due to her unorthodox religious beliefs and her challenge to the established Puritan orthodoxy in Massachusetts. A Puritan woman, Hutchinson held meetings in her home where she discussed her interpretations of scripture and criticized the colony's ministers. This led to significant tension with the Puritan leaders, who viewed her teachings as a threat to the social and religious order. Hutchinson’s trial in 1637 culminated in her banishment from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, establishing her as a key figure in early American history, particularly in discussions about religious freedom and women's roles in society. This event not only highlights her defiance against the patriarchy of Puritan society but also marks the founding of a community in Rhode Island that was more tolerant of diverse beliefs, further underscoring the importance of her actions in the broader narrative of American religious history. The other options misrepresent her historical significance: she did not establish a colony in Massachusetts, while she did engage in a religious movement, her banishment specifically to Rhode Island is what made her story particularly notable. Additionally, while Hutchinson's writings engaged with themes that would later be associated with feminist thought, she is not exclusively