How Did Puritan Americans Contribute To Colonization

Despite the short-lived phenomenon of puritanism, lasting only about two-hundred years, some of Americas earliest writers were influenced by this religion. Puritanism can be traced back to the Renaissance in England all the way up until its descend in New England. Religious persecution was one of the main reasons for colonization in the New World. The events leading up to the migration, the leaders of the protestant reformation, and the literature they left behind helped begin and shape America as we know it today. The Roman Catholic Church was the official church of England before the Reformation. The church was led by the pope whom worked under the king or queen of England. The Roman Catholic church was extremely rich, and before the

However, they also had the help of the printing press. After the printing press was invented between 1450-1450 books could be printed much cheaper and faster (live science). Martin Luther, the man whose works officially started the protestant reformation would later use the printing press very effectively for his purposes. Martin Luther was born in Germany but later moved to England where he was very well educated. Luther was a monk that studied the Bible and he did not agree that the only way to get to Heaven was through good deeds and indulgences, which is what the Roman Catholic Church had been teaching. Instead he believed that one could reach Heaven through individual salvation and the grace of God (History). So, Martin Luther wrote a list of formal theological questions which contents questioned the church rather than accusing it (History). This work became known as, “The 95 Theses” and was the official start of the protestant reformation, which began in 1517. After this major work, Luther moved on to translating the New Testament and with the help of the printing press had it translated and printed in German by 1522. He then continued with the translation of the old testament and had it printed by 1534 (textbook). Martin Luther played a crucial role in the start and spread of the protestant

The group stayed there for a little over ten years. It seems that the reason for leaving Holland for the new world in 1620 was that the Dutch culture was negatively affecting the English children (American lit challenge). Because the separatist could not afford a voyage across the Atlantic on their own. They struck a deal with the Plymouth joint-stock company. They would supply them with transportation, tools, and supplies and in return the settlers would export the natural resources of their new home (plimoth.org). The 102 passengers that sailed on the Mayflower to the New World in November 1620 called themselves the