1. Who Were These Puritans? Puritan Legacy and Literature

2. Puritan Legacy  Most famous English Puritans landed in 1620 on the tip of Cape Cod.  Puritans believed Christian worship and church organization should be simplified to resemble Biblical models.  Many were persecuted and fled England for Holland and North America  Single-minded visionaries; believed their beliefs correct  Practical and businesslike

3. Puritan Beliefs: Sinners All?  Puritans believed Adam and Eve’s sin damned most people for all eternity.  Believed that Jesus Christ was sent to earth to save an “elect” few.  Puritans tried to behave in an exemplary manner because they didn’t know who was saved and who was damned.

4. The Bible in America  Puritan belief in a spiritual compact between God and humanity paved the way for American constitutional democracy.  Puritans emphasized education so the people could read and understand the Bible and follow religious debates.

5. Characteristics of Puritan Writing  Diaries and histories were important forms of Puritan literature; writers described the working of God.  The Bible was a model: a conception of each individual life as a journey to salvation.  Used writing to explore their inner and outer lives for signs of the workings of God.  Favored plain style, similar to that of the Geneva Bible.  Stressed clarity and avoided figures of speech.