1. The Puritans

2. Origins
In 1534, British King Henry VIII severed ties with the Roman Catholic Church and created the Church of England (Anglican Church)
The Anglican Church was very corrupt, and many factions formed.
In the early 17th Century, extremely conservative religious groups did not like this direction and set sail to the newly “discovered” America.

3. Puritans or Pilgrims? Pilgrims Puritans
Established American colony in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620.
Broke completely with the Church of England
Flagship: The Mayflower
Founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony around present day Salem and Boston in the 1630s
Attempted to reform, or “purify,” the Church of England
Flagship: The Arbella

4. 17th Century New England

5. Concept of Covenant Covenant between God and the community.
A contract w/ God: God promises redemption for his chosen, people promise a faithful life.
As Puritan towns rose, each wrote a covenant (see p. 40 of Hellfire Nation).
A modern term for covenant would be a ‘contract.’
Once a covenant is drawn- even a King can be charged w/ violating it.
Covenants are in many ways forerunners of constitutions in America. “…

6. Calvinistic Beliefs
Followers believed in the teachings of John Calvin ( )
Calvin taught that human beings were depraved sinners and that God had chosen only an unknown few for salvation.
Those not chosen by God were condemned to eternal damnation
No one really knew if he or she was saved or damned; Puritans lived in a constant state of spiritual anxiety, searching for signs of God's favor or anger.
Being good was not enough. It was important to be converted in the soul.

7. Rules to live by Mandatory church attendance
Education/reading is good – if you can read, you can read the Bible
Live in accordance with God’s will
ACTIVITY

8. New England Primer

9. Puritan Society
Individuality was frowned upon. Conformity to religious beliefs was required and dissent was only tolerated under strict limits.
Governments were also to be held responsible for the salvation of the people. (NO SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE!)
Hard work and self-discipline were very important
Puritans strongly disapproved of sexual relations outside of marriage, of drunkenness, and of activities such as gambling, drama (acting), and celebrating holidays, such as Christmas.

10. Beliefs & Values Ethnocentric – “City set upon a hill”
Predestination – God would save those he had chosen and would damn the rest
Simplicity
Education – If you could read, you could read the Bible
Group discipline and individual responsibility

11. And you thought being grounded was bad….
Stocks

12. The Scarlet Letter

13. Whipping
Public Shaming

14. Branding
Ducking stool

15. Gossiping, nagging,
scolding

16. Not on Sunday!
You could be fined or punished for doing the following on Sunday:
Running
Cooking
Make a bed
Shaving
Gee whiz, Lois! You mean I don’t have to make my bed today?

17. Didn’t these people ever have fun?
YES alcohol NO drunkenness
YES dancing NO grindage
YES colorful dress ….within reason
YES celebrations & feasts NO Christmas

19. Puritans considered the woods the home of the Devil
Puritans considered the woods the home of the Devil. But what, or who, is in the woods?

20. Puritans believed in demonic forces, such as witchcraft and magic, which were sent to tempt humans.

21. Roger Williams Criticized the church
he asserted that the civil magistrates may not punish any sort of "breach of the first table [of the Ten Commandments]," such as idolatry, Sabbath-breaking, false worship, and blasphemy, and that every individual should be free to follow his own convictions in religious matters.
Three principles: separatism, freedom of religion, and separation of church and state
believed that soul liberty freedom of conscience, was a gift from God, and that everyone had the natural right to freedom of religion. Religious freedom demanded that church and state be separated. Williams was the first to use the phrase "wall of separation" to describe the relationship of the church and state.

22. Salem Witch Trials
Refers to a series of hearings around Salem, Mass. from May to May 1693 in which courts attempted to prosecute men and women accused of witchcraft.
Any accusation of witchcraft would be taken seriously, while denials would not be.
Overall, 19 people were executed during the witch trials and several others died while in jail.
This is the setting (time and place)for The Crucible by Arthur Miller.

23. Decline of Puritanism
By the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Puritanism was on a clear decline.
Fiery speakers such as Jonathan Edwards (P. 72) brought a brief revival of Puritanism in New England in the late 1720s and early 1730s, but this did not last long.
Puritans blamed this decline on swearing; a tendency to sleep at sermons; the spread of sex and alcohol, especially in taverns, where women were known to bare their arms and, upon occasion, even their breasts; and, most telling, the marked increase in lying and lawsuits

24. Puritanism’s Effect on America
While there are not many “Puritans” in America today, their influence is still felt. Here are some of the believed influences:
Hard work and discipline are valued work traits
Man is an individual
Covenants/Constitutions
Survival and self-sufficiency
Regular elections
The quest for religious freedom, while being intolerant of other religions
Secret ballot
Compulsory schooling and universities
A negative view of alcohol
Town meetings – self-government
A negative portrayal of sexuality and of the human body
beginnings of “separation of church & state”
Public scrutiny of public figures/celebrities