Governor John Winthrop and the members of the Massachusetts Bay colony observed a day of prayer and thanksgiving. Winthrop intended this Puritan settlement to be a model Christian community that would serve as a "city upon a hill," admonishing his colonists:

Wee must be knitt together in this worke as one man, wee must entertaine each other in brotherly Affeccion, wee must be willing to abridge our selves of our superfluities, for the supply of others necessities, wee must uphold a familiar Commerce together in all meekenes, gentlenes, patience and liberallity, wee must delight in eache other, make others Condicions our owne rejoyce together, mourne together, labour, and suffer together, allwayes haveing before our eyes our Commission and Community in the worke.