In search of religious freedom a group of devout Christians sailed across the ocean only to come across a new land, radically different from the one they left behind. From the initial journey, to the formation of the colonies, and finally their complicated relationship with “non-believers” Puritans strongly held religious convictions has played a key role in all of this. The Puritans were a group of reformed Protestants seeking to reform the English Church. After the fall of the Roman Catholic Church, a new church was established “The English Anglican Church”. While most Puritans sought to reform the church others wanted nothing to do with it these Puritans would eventually be known as Separatists.
In Salem, Massachusetts, the lives of many residents were at the mercy of a few young girls. The town was ruled by religion which opened many opportunities for residents to fear anything that they believed as against them, their religion, or just simply immoral. The people who lived there called themselves Puritans. The Puritans were a group of English Protestants who believed that they must purify the church of England from its catholic practices. In Salem, the residents were ruled by religious leaders who oversaw the town’s court.
The Puritans believed God had formed an agreement with them, so they were concerned with moral behavior. The Puritans believed they were suppose to set a good example for people to change their sinful ways. When authors write about a evil or immoral character they may make the reader react more sympathetically than usual. They may do this by adding other evil characters
According to the text the Puritans believed that the reformed church had to be very different from the catholic church and they centered around the bible. They “believed that faith, not works, was the key to salvation.” That is what the Puritans believed. The girls caused people to be tested to see if they were a witch or not.
And were these evil characters and activities meant to be seen as literal or symbolic? To answer these questions, we must first know the Puritan’s beliefs. Regarding the devil and his evil capabilities, “their beliefs caused the Puritans to blame the Devil for the many hardships they endured. If a crop began to whither or a family member grew ill, it was an act of the Devil” (Stuart). Their beliefs did put certain limitations on the devil and his evil works.
Puritans disagreed with the people who followed Church of England which made them secede and practice on their own. Although, leaving the church made Puritans victimized. Puritans that separated, Separatists, strayed away from the Church of England and made a pact with the Virginia Company of London to voyage the May Flower to Virginia. The Separatists, also referred as Pilgrims, landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Pilgrims did not believe they were under jurisdiction of the Virginia Company of London so they created the Mayflower Compact which was an agreement of majority rule and a promise to defend any other member of the group if ejected.
Puritans always seemed to have a reason to justify and action no matter how radical. They didn’t just justify killing people they also justified taking things like land that was not theirs by use of bible passages. The Pequot Indians shared their land with the Puritans. Sharing however, was not something the Puritans seemed to be good at. They wanted the Indians out of the picture and wanted the land for themselves.
The Puritans followed the divine law by adhering to the Old Testament teachings. Puritans believe in the idea of predestination, the view that people's destiny were already predetermined by a higher power. This meant that someone who only did good deeds could still be condemned to go to hell while a murderer was chosen to go to heaven. Since they believed in this concept, they felt only a handful of them would be saved, or "God's elect". Since the Puritans weren't sure who was chosen as one of "God's elect", they all acted as if they were one of the ones who would be saved.
With the Puritans having strict religious beliefs about the devil and God, it gave them strong feelings about the ways in which women impacted their community. Along with their religious beliefs, their society had certain beliefs about women and the way they should act which led them to suspect anything out of the “norm” as a sign of the devil. While some of this could be on women and the way we speak, the Puritans already had such strong feelings toward the vulnerable mind of women that it wouldn’t matter. The women were represented by weakness in nearly every aspect a person can be judged on and this thought of them as the weaker vessel is what ultimately led to them being accused and persecuted more than men during the Salem Witch
Puritans believed God will send the people to hell who do not believe or who do not repent, and people with strong belief and faith would be saved. Everyone sins in the world and it is inevitable, whoever does not repent will suffer eternal damnation. Consequences are made very obvious and without hesitation or reluctance; consequences are described in metaphors which can be similar to how the bible uses metaphors, but they are extremely vivid, providing obvious points to what happens to people who fall under the category of sinners. For punishment, it will be eternal suffering in hell, with no second chances. Once it is too late to repent or believe, that is final.
“We the people…” (“Declaration of Independence.”) , Any American knows this first line from the United States Constitution that represents everything the American people stand for and is one of the most recognizable pieces of writing in the world from the American Revolution. The American Revolution helped end Puritan writing, strengthen our own political voice, and showed the American colonists how much of an impact writing has on the world. “In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites” that quote is from the literature Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God and is one of the most recognizable literature pieces from the 17th century American colonies. I have never heard of a high school student has read it and wrote a little essay on it’s
Puritanism is a way of life that was first introduced in the 16th and 17th century. It was very strict, and dignified, including harsh discipline and important moral values to follow, as well as a united religion. Everyone had to lookout for one another and was opted to come forth if one was not following the Puritan way. The superstition that many Puritans believed in is represented through Reverend Parris. He insists to Abigail that “if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it” (Miller 11).
Puritanism played a pivotal role in shaping the economic, political, and intellectual climate of Massachusetts; especially considering that the Puritans were some of the first people to settle the British North American colonies. For instance, politically speaking, the Puritans would hold yearly town meetings; only adult males were allowed to participate in these meetings, however. These town meetings were held within their villages in order to have minimal interference from the colonial government, address any issues they may have, as well as to select a group of people known as “selectmen” to govern the village until the next meeting. Intellectually, the Puritans took education seriously and as a result by 1647 Massachusetts became the first
Puritans are a people with a very strong belief in both God and the power of God. When people see power, they interpret it in different ways. Some know of power through anger and impulse, while others see power through the goodness the powerful one shows. Although Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards are both puritan poets, their writings convey mainly different, though sometimes similar, views on God because they have different perceptions of His will and the use of His power. Anne Bradstreet listens to and accepts anything that God wishes, and that is shown through her poem Upon the Burning of my House.
• Jim Crow- a system of segregation that included separate schools, drinking fountains, beaches and public accommodations • Blacks could not vote in the South, marry whites or attend state colleges • Rosa Parks, MLK Jr., and Robert William helped start the southern Civil Rights Movement • The civil rights act of 1964 outlawed segregation in public places and discrimination in employment • Still racial prejudice came under attack • Not just blacks but also women, American Indians, Chicanos, Asian Americans, gays, the elderly and the disabled all faced discrimination and inequality • The holocaust of WWII and the role of the U.S as a world leader during cold war helped reshape thinking about the place of discrimination • JFK proclaimed “we can do better” • The thinking about civil rights was the most important reformist legacy of post-war era •
