The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay colony had originally planned for a government that was to be ruled by God 's laws, however over time the colony would become democratically ruled. Rather than living under a democratic society, John Winthrop, along with other stockholding members, preferred to have the Puritan settlement be run by “godly rule” (9) . The original intention of the Massachusetts Bay colony was to set a model of an uncorrupted church and godly society (12) which would in turn help those in England see God 's will and be saved by it (13) . The Puritans, however did believe in the separation of church and state, but this did not mean a separation of the state from God. Despite the idea of separation, the government still
The Virginia Colony vs. The Massachusetts Bay Colony Throughout the 17th century, England sent many colonists to settle in the New World. Later on, the two colonies formed the nation America. This doesn’t mean they began with the same ideals and motives. The motivations and reasons for the founding of the Virginia and Massachusetts Bay colonies varied greatly.
The Puritans believed that God defeated the Natives for the Puritans to save them from harm. Although both writings depict this all-powerful version of God, they characterize God vastly differently. In “Of Plymouth Plantation,” God is described as merciful and benevolent. The Puritans were convinced that their safe arrival in America was because of God: “Being thus arrived in a good harbor, and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof” (4) They immediately praised their kind god for protecting them from the sea. Furthermore, when the Puritans found seeds of beans and corn left by the Natives, they praised god for not letting them starve.
In creating a new community, the citizens cannot be constantly worried about perceptions, and sometimes have to put the good of the community over their own personal agenda, something that was lacking in the creation of Massachusetts Colony. An additional problem that the Puritans faced was the importance and influence that money had over the community. Money was seen as a sign of God’s grace, so the more money any individual had the more they believed that God favored that individual. This created an unhealthy image of money and distorted the previous genuine piety that citizens of the Massachusetts Colony had in their
John Winthrop and his followers established a society that would be an example to many more societies to come. They came to New England to create a place that was occupied by people approved by God and whom abided by God’s laws. Winthrop knew that this colony would have to be completely different from England, since at the time, England was in chaos, therefore, he learned from all of the mistakes England made, religiously and politically, and planned a colony that would thrive under the ruling of God and his worshipers. Everyone knew that this was a massive undertaking that may not promise them the success they were looking for, but the Puritans had to get out of England because they knew that God would eventually punish them for the evils
The Puritan’s goal of coming to the New World was not to create a new life, but to create the ideal model of living for the “corrupt” inhabitants of England. This was coined “The Errand”, the Puritans desire to establish a City Upon a Hill that others could look up to and imitate in order to receive God’s grace. The Puritans failed at building their City Upon a Hill (creating a perfect religious, economic, and political community), however the long-term effects of their efforts have influenced American moral politics throughout its history. The Puritans forever had the attitude of a community that had successfully established a City Upon a Hill. The Puritan lifestyle was heavily influenced not only by religion, but also inside of that, morality.
The New Englanders took religion seriously, making unitary laws according to Puritan standards. John Winthrop, later chosen as the first Massachusetts Bay Colony governor, was seeking religious freedom. Wishing to inspire the colonists to dwell in brotherly unity, he summoned them together to remind them “that if we [colonists] shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.” On the other hand, those in the Chesapeake region came for the wealth that America promised. They were there to become prosperous or die trying.
The year 1692 marked a major event in history that left a lasting effect in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. The Salem Witch trials resulted in more than 200 people being accused of practicing witchcraft, the death of nineteen men and women who were hung, one man being crushed to death, along with seven other individuals who lost their lives in prison. In 1629 King Charles I of England granted a religious group called the Puritans, a charter to settle and govern an English colony in the Massachusetts Bay. Their desire was to create a new perfect society based on the principles of the Bible, a theocracy with no separation of church and state.
The ideas constructed by the Puritans were not simply a principal starting point for American culture because they were the first in the country, but because they offered distinct ways of thinking that are still deep-seated in our culture today. Although many of the ideas of Puritans have evolved or vanished over time, it is important to give credit to the Puritan writers and thinkers such as John Winthrop and John Cotton who offered ideas that were new at the time and that stayed with the American consciousness—culturally, socially, and politically. “John Winthrop's legacy can be seen primarily in the fields of government, commerce, and religion. It was religion that would most impact John's life; his religion would ultimately impact the
New England’s economy would also be influenced by the British tax later that would cause Americans to revolt many of which trusted in their faith to guide them The Puritans who settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 were also motivated by religious beliefs. They believed in the idea of a "city upon a hill," a vision of a holy community that would serve as an example to the rest of the world (American YAWP, 2.6). This belief led to a strict social order and a commitment to the moral and spiritual purity of the community. It also led to conflicts with other religious groups, such as the Quakers, who were seen as a threat to the Puritan social order.
The Puritans were a strong unified religious community that centered their lives and their community on a specific set of beliefs. They believed that life was a test and those who passed this test would not only be successful, but also be delivered to holy blessedness all their lives and in the next. On the other hand, those who failed this test would face the consequences of a life damned by the devil. Notably in addition to that belief, they were God’s advocates and God’s law were their political laws. One specific facet of the Puritan belief system discussed in this paper is religious exclusiveness.
Religion influenced the government of the Puritans. They believed that they each had their own boundaries or power given by the Lord (Doc H). Puritans wanted the church and government to intertwine and aid one another, creating a stronger bond. In addition, the Puritan’s emphasis on religious conformity and the attainment of land for their model society led them to engage in wars with neighboring Indian tribes. For instance, William Bradford fought with Pequot tribe in the Pequot War, believing that God is the source of their victory and therefore praise him (Doc D).
With these words, John Winthrop succinctly laid out the covenant he and his congregation was making with God: God had given the Puritans this New Land, had given them His blessing, and in return expected them to carry out His mission. The Puritans viewed the New World “...simultaneously as a nourishing mother and an undefiled virgin...providing material plenty, perennial good health, and moral purity against a backdrop of Edenic Lusciousness” (Bercovitch, 137). If Winthrop's congregation failed their mission, then “the Lord will surely break out in wrath against us, and be revenged of such a people, and make us know the price of the breach of such a covenant“(Winthrop). This holy mission uniquely assigned to the Puritans in the New World represents the foundations of American Exceptionalism, that America is a special nation, unique in purpose, superior in morality and action, and blessed by God Himself: America is part of God's plan, and America has vital roles to play and missions to
He still insists that, the civil government should not interfere with religious affairs and never should the promotion of religion rely on the use of force. Part 1 1 The purpose of the establishment of Massachusetts Bay Colony was to have an attempt to Religious Freedom, to enjoy religious leadership in matters of worship. They had their purchases extended three miles north of the Merrimack River, and three miles south of Charles River, and east and west from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Puritans were Christians who had to follow their lives according to the bible. In Winthrop’s speech, he informs the people that God is with them, but like England if they failed to create a godly society than they will face the “wrath of god.” Winthrop’s focus in this speech is to urge people to be caring, loving, and selfless for the sake of the godly mission; So they can truly succeed. He also wants to have equality among everyone in terms of wealth to create natural community of faith so that religious believes are not forced upon anyone. Winthrop continuously tells people to become caring, loving, and selfless, instead of saying that they already are all those things.
Essentially, Puritans are expected to follow a strict set of religious and moral guidelines from which their actions and morality are derived. According to Hall’s A Reforming People, these moral expectations first introduced by the pilgrims were the driving force behind the power that the Puritan ministry had over society: “Ministers and laypeople looked first to congregations as the place where love, mutuality, and righteousness would flourish, and second to civil society. …Alongside love, mutuality, and righteousness they placed another set of values summed up in the word “equity.” Employed in a broad array of contexts, the concept of equity conveyed the colonists’ hopes for justice and fairness in their social world.”