Roger Williams

Definition

Roger Williams was a Puritan minister who founded Rhode Island after being banished from Massachusetts Bay Colony for his belief in separation of church and state and religious tolerance.

Related terms

Rhode Island: A colony founded by Roger Williams as a place for religious freedom after he was expelled from Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Separation of Church and State: The principle that government must maintain an attitude of neutrality toward religion.

Religious Tolerance: Acceptance that different people have different beliefs or practices without attempting to change them or suppress them.