PURITAN/COLONIAL LITERATURE NOTES

WHY DO WE BOTHER READING THIS? AS THE FIRST COLONISTS, THEY LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR AMERICAN CHARACTER MORAL, ETHICAL, AND RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS PURITAN VALUES ARE PART OF OUR AMERICAN CHARACTERISTICS

PURITAN VALUES SELF RELIANCE INDUSTRIOUSNESS SIMPLICITY IN ALL THINGS LANGUAGE CLOTHING LIFESTYLE TEMPERANCE MODERATION WITH ALCOHOL AND FOOD

A BRIEF HISTORY OF PURITANS AND THEIR BELIEFS THE TERM PURITAN REFERS TO A GROUP OF PROTESTANT REFORMERS WHO SOUGHT TO PURIFY THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND (NAT’L GOV’T RELIGION OF ENGLAND—HEADED BY KING/QUEEN). EVENTUALLY SOUGHT TO SEPARATE THE CHURCH FROM THE GOV’T COMPLETELY FACED PERSECUTION AND TORTURE IN ENGLAND FOR TREASON They called themselves pilgrims Pilgrim: one who goes on a physical or spiritual journey to a holy place for the purposes of salvation

Why did the Puritans come to the Colonies? WANTED A SIMPLER FORM OF WORSHIP WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WANTED TO EXPUNGE ALL CORRUPTION FROM THE CHURCH

Arrival in American Colonies Led by William Bradford, the Separatists, a group of pilgrims, try to find religious freedom in Holland Left Holland after 12 years for American Colonies Established a theocracy in Massachusetts Bay Colony Theocracy: a form of government in which a single religion and it’s laws and rules are enforced by the government Bradford is elected governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1621—held position for next 30 years Wrote “Of Plymouth Plantation” for the express purpose of inspiring future generations of Puritans Understanding what their ancestors had endured for religious freedom Maintain the faith

KEY BELIEFS PROVIDENCE: DIVINE DIRECTION OR GUIDANCE; THE WILL OF GOD BRADFORD ATTRIBUTES SEVERAL EVENTS, BOTH GOOD AND BAD, TO PROVIDENCE SQUANTO’S ARRIVAL DEATH OF THE PROFANE SAILOR AND THE RESCUE OF HOWLAND

Key Beliefs PREDESTINATION: The doctrine that God has foreordained all things, especially that God has elected certain souls to eternal salvation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy1IOIlpKaw THIS WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR PURITANS, BECAUSE THEY NEVER REALLY KNEW IF THEY WERE SAVED OR DAMNED IF YOU WERE SAVED…. YOU WOULD “FEEL” GOD’S GRACE YOUR OUTWARD BEHAVIOR WOULD BE A LIVING MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S GRACE—YOU ARE “REBORN” AND BEHAVE LIKE A SAINT

Problems with Predestination? SINCE NO ONE EVER REALLY KNEW IF THEY WERE SAVED OR DAMNED, SOME WOULD “FAKE IT” FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS LED TO CLOSE SPIRITUAL EXAMINATION OF DAILY LIFE, LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE OF GOD’S GRACE ALSO LED TO THE JUDGING OF OTHERS AND THE CONCERN ABOUT HOW YOUR NEIGHBORS PERCEIVED YOU

CHARACTERISTICS OF PURITAN WRITING BORING…DRY…BLAH! WHY? USED GENEVA BIBLE AS A MODEL DIRECT, SIMPLE LANGUAGE PLAIN STYLE STRESSED CLARITY OF EXPRESSION AND AVOIDED COMPLICATED FIGURES OF SPEECH

CHARACTERISTICS OF PURITAN WRITING SAW EACH INDIVIDUAL LIFE AS A JOURNEY TO SALVATION (OR DAMNATION) AND DREW PARALLELS BETWEEN THEIR OWN LIVES AND STORIES IN THE BIBLE EXPLORED BOTH THEIR INNER, PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND THEIR OUTWARD BEHAVIOR FOR SIGNS OF GOD’S GRACE BECAUSE THEY SPENT SO MUCH TIME IN SELF REFLECTION, THEIR WRITING COMES IN 4 FORMS LETTERS DIARIES AND JOURNALS HISTORIES CAPTIVITY NARRATIVES These are considered to be PRIMARY SOURCES because they offer direct, first hand knowledge of events