It is hard to believe that one man could possibly cause so much trouble and so much chaos in a small period of time. Henry VIII of England was able to do this. Henry was fell in love with a woman when he was already married so he asked the Pope for a divorce. Pope Clement II would not grant Henry VIII this divorce so Henry split with the Roman-Catholic church and formed his own religion, The Church of England, or Anglicanism. Because Henry did so, there were many repercussions that not only Henry would face, but his people would also face. There were many men and woman who disagreed with Henry and his new religion. A group of these people were the Puritans. The Puritans would eventually leave England all together establish a colony in what is now Massachusetts. To understand this, you must first understand Henry. Henry always demanded things the way that he wanted them. Because of King Henry VIII, Massachusetts was founded and set up they way it is today. .
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Not very much is known about Henry's early life up until his older brother, Arthur, died. Henry was born in Greenwich, England on January 28, 1491. He was the second son of Henry VII. Henry was not destined to be king. He knew that his older brother would become king, so he had to focus on becoming involved with the church. This was a common occupation for a second son of a king. The first son would be in line for succession while all the other sons would take a position as a church official or another respectable position. This was exactly what was planned for Henry. .
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Henry's childhood consisted of lots of fun and lots of games. Henry, of course, was spoiled, being of royal blood. Although Henry was always more interested in games, he was very bright. Henry excelled in his studies. He spoke four languages, he wrote poetry and other literature, and he was very skilled as a musician. Henry was a terrific athlete as well. He loved to wrestle, hunt, and compete in different contests.
