1. The Puritans
English 11
Mr. Bradley

2. Who were the Puritans? Branch of Protestant church
Began in 16th & 17th centuries
Preferred to be called “the godly”
Attempted to “purify” Church of England
Encouraged free enterprise and emerging capitalist economy
Wanted to strip the church of Catholic influences

3. 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
Came to America in 1630
Massachusetts Bay Colony

4. Doctrine of Election / Predestination:
Man is innately sinful
Original Sin
Only those who are chosen by God (the elect) are saved
The grace of Christ allows the chosen the strength to follow the will of God
The chosen will follow the path of righteousness

5. Predestination continued…
No one knew who was or was not saved
Must have conversion experience
God’s grace given to chosen
Grace shown through Godly behavior
Self-reflection to determine who had this behavior
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.

6. 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

7. Puritan Beliefs & Values:
Literal interpretation of the Bible
Explicit readings vs church doctrines
No excesses in worship
Simple, so they can concentrate on God
Constant struggle between God & Satan
God rewards the good & punishes the wicked
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

8. Education & Work Ethic:
Virtuous, self-examined life
Strict discipline
Strong work ethic
Virtues would lead to economic success
Valued education
Founded Harvard College in 1636 to train ministers
Get children away from evils of England
No games
Women less capable
Eve was the first sinner
Literature for pleasure highly censored
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

9. Puritan Literature & Writings:
Very little writing for pleasure or entertainment
Fiction considered frivolous & possibly immoral
Historical documents, personal journals, religious poetry & tracts
Plain Style
Clarity
Accessibility
Straightforwardness
Lack of ornamentation
They did not write for pleasure or entertainment. One reason was the fact that they were struggling to built their settlement. Another reason was the fact that they considered works of fiction frivolous and possibly immoral
Types of texts:
- historical documents: preserving their history and offering justifications to relieve the guilt they felt over leaving relatives behind in England
- personal journals: as tools for self-reflection/ examination and as a way to look for signs of salvation
- poetry, but highly inspired by religious beliefs
- religious tracts
Plain Style: a mode of expression characterized by its clarity, accessibility, straightforwardness, simplicity, and lack of ornamentation. In early America, the plain style aesthetic had broad cultural relevance, shaping the language of prose and poetry, the design of furniture and architecture, painting and other visual arts. Rejecting ornamental flourishes and superfluous decoration as sinful vanity, plain stylists worked to glorify God in their expressions rather than to show off their own artistry or claim any renown for themselves. This aesthetic appealed to both Puritans and Quakers.

10. Jonathan Edwards 1703-1758 Fire and brimstone imagery.
Helped bring about the Great Awakening.
Tyrannical pastor - extreme and strict - humans “lowly sinners.”
The last “Puritan”