Who established the colony of Portsmouth as a new settlement for dissenters?

Anne Hutchinson was instrumental in establishing the colony of Portsmouth as a new settlement for dissenters who sought religious freedom and separation from the rigid Puritanical restrictions in Massachusetts. Hutchinson had been a prominent figure in the Antinomian Controversy in Massachusetts, advocating for a more personal interpretation of faith that clashed with established Puritan beliefs.

After facing opposition and eventual banishment from Massachusetts, Hutchinson and her followers migrated to what is now Rhode Island, where they established Portsmouth in 1638. This new settlement became a refuge for those who were seeking religious tolerance and a break from the dominant Puritan ideology, thus contributing to the broader theme of religious dissent and the quest for freedom that characterized early American colonial history.

In contrast, Roger Williams founded Providence in Rhode Island, not Portsmouth, while Cecil Calvert (the second Lord Baltimore) established Maryland as a haven for Catholics, and William Penn is known for founding Pennsylvania with a focus on Quaker principles.