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Wealth Built Political Power
- John Richards rose from servant to one of Massachusetts' wealthiest and most politically powerful men.
- His land speculation and social ties illustrate how money and office reinforced each other in the colony.
Consolidated Elite Control
- Massachusetts' elite combined military, judicial, and executive roles, concentrating authority in few hands.
- That same circle also controlled frontier land speculation, linking economic interests to legal power.
Land Loss Fueled Judicial Zeal
- Judges like William Stoughton enriched themselves by acquiring and reselling enormous tracts of Native land.
- Their financial losses in frontier wars made persecuting local 'witches' a way to reassert control and defend interests.