How Did Puritans Influence The Ideals Of New England

Jonathan Lee

After England colonized the land known as New England today, the land was able to become prosperous through the middle 1600s. This was due to the Puritans, a religious group of people who came to New England after feeling threatened by other religious groups back in their homeland of Britain. They emigrated to New England and was able to develop society into a very religious intolerant society. Since there was a lack of societal conflict, the economy was able to prosper. The society in the New England colonies show were largely influenced by Puritan beliefs in education and religion. The government that was formed was hugely influenced by Puritan beliefs and was hugely dominated by Puritans. There may have been some problems

Society was very strict in religious practice and in education. In Nathaniel Ward’s excerpt “The Simple Cobbler of Aggawam” he said that, “He that is willing to tolerate any religion, or discrepant way of religion, besides his own, unless it be in matters merely indifferent, either doubts of his own or is not sincere in it” (Doc E). This shows religious intolerance which wasn’t strange in this time period and it is most likely heavily emphasized because the Puritans still felt persecuted from when they practiced their own religion back in their time in England. Another example of the dedication to their religion is when William Bradford wrote about his attack on the Pequot’s Mystic River village, he said, “But the victory seemed a sweet sacrifice, and they gave the praise thereof to God.” This shows their dedication to God, as they justify burning the entire village by saying it was for God and saying it was a merciful death for them because it happened so fast. During the time period between 1630 and 1660, the gender of a person decided what role he/she would play in relation to education. Adult females generally taught the younger kids how to read since they weren’t able to work for the ministry and they weren’t allowed into many types of schools. Adult males taught the older boys and only males were allowed to go to

They believed that economic success would result from hard work. John Winthrop, had mixed feeling about the economic success. He was afraid that the people in the society would start doing unjust things for self-profit. This is reflected in his speech, “A Modell of Christian Charity,1630” he said, “Soe that if wee shall deale falsely with our God in this worke wee have undertaken, and soe cause him go withdrawe his present help from us, wee shall be made a story a by-word through the world” (Doc A). Due to the majority of the people being Puritans, this belief was strongly strengthened and the society wanted to work hard and do as much as they could. The colonies were very prosperous which emulated the beliefs of the Puritans. In John Higginson’s “The Cause of God and His People in New England 1662,” John Higginson said, “Let merchants and such as are increasing Cent per Cent remember this.. that worldly gain was not the end and designe of the people of New England, but Religion” (Doc G). Even though they were prosperous, the Puritans didn’t exhibit arrogance and their economy kept on being prosperous as a result. Their economy was long lasting and Puritan beliefs are reflected to this day by many economies around the world