American History I Mr. Havner The Puritans American History I Mr. Havner

Who were the Puritans? Puritans were a branch of the Protestant church Their movement began in the 16th and 17th centuries Although they preferred to be called “the godly,” they were given the name “Puritans” for their struggle to reform or purify the Church of England

Law=Support Anglican Church 1530s King Henry VIII rejected the Catholic Pope – effective head of Church of England Appointed their own church hierarchy B/C the Monarch headed the church any dissent was treason and heresy Monarch ordered bishops to tell ministers to preach in support of certain policies

King James I demanded sermons against “the insolency of our women and their wearing of broad brimmed hats, pointed doublets, their hair cut short or shorn”

Church & State Merger of C&S in service to a hierarchical social order gave political significance to every religious issue Made social and political critics of those seeking religious purity Most Puritans remained with the Church of England trying to reform it but…

Two Types of Puritans: Separatists Held irreconcilable differences with the Church of England; they thought the church was corrupt and that they must distance themselves from it Were persecuted under various monarchies in England First fled from England to Holland Later, came to found the Plymouth Colony in America in 1620 Non-Separatists Held less extreme views of the Church of England Believed in church reform rather than an overthrow of the church Came to America in 1630 and founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony

Doctrine of Election / Predestination: Man is innately sinful; original sin means that we are incapable of any depravity Only those who are chosen by God (the elect) are saved; salvation is not based on your beliefs or good works The grace of Christ allows the chosen the strength to follow the will of God The chosen will follow the path of righteousness

Predestination continued… No one knew who was or was not saved. Puritans believed that you must have a conversion experience in order to be accepted by God. God’s grace was given to the chosen, and this grace was demonstrated through one’s behavior. Puritans would, therefore, reflect upon themselves (self-examination) for signs of this grace. So, even though they did not believe good works helped one get into heaven, they believed that living a godly life was evidence of being chosen.

As a result of their belief in predestination, Puritans: Were always looking for signs Scrutinized daily events Thought there was always a reason for everything Felt that God’s hand was in everything, no matter how insignificant

Puritan Beliefs & Values: Puritans believed in a literal interpretation of the Bible They believed in explicit readings of the Bible, as opposed to church doctrines They did not believe in excess worship; they wanted no rituals, adornments, no stained glass, no cushioned pews, no singing, and no music They wanted to keep things simple so that they could concentrate on God There is a constant struggle between the forces of God and Satan God rewards the good and punishes the wicked

Education & Work Ethic: They believed in living a virtuous, self-examined life They believed in strict discipline and had a strong work ethic They felt that qualities that led to economic success were virtuous They valued education Harvard was founded in 1636 to train ministers They wanted their children to get far away from the evils of England Children were not allowed to play games; boys were taught to go hunting and fishing, while girls were taught how to run a household Women were considered less capable intellectually, physically, theologically, and morally (Eve was the first sinner) Literature for pleasure was highly censored

Puritan Values=Success Once to the new world they would prosper in a demanding land Colder, less abundant, forested, stony soils, short growing season Worked w/ special zeal to honor their God to seek rewards that offered reassurance that God approved of their efforts Farms, workshops, counting houses, gristmills, churches, and schools constituted the Puritans’ effort to glorify God