The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded primarily by the Massachusetts Bay Company, which received a royal charter from King Charles I in 1629 to trade and colonize in New England between the Charles and Merrimack rivers
. The colony was settled in 1630 by a group of about 1,000 Puritan refugees from England, led by Governor John Winthrop, who played a leading role in the founding and governance of the colony
. John Winthrop, an English Puritan lawyer, arrived in Salem in 1630 with the charter and led the establishment of the colony, which included settlements around Salem, Boston, and other areas
. The colony grew rapidly in the 1630s with about 20,000 migrants and was governed by Puritan principles under Winthrop’s leadership, who served as governor for many years
. In summary, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded by the Massachusetts Bay Company under a royal charter, with John Winthrop as its key leader and governor during its early years
