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Puritans influence on American Literature
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The New England colonies that settled in North America were predominantly composed of the Puritans, which originated in the rectification of protestant in England. Furthermore, they were the first of the English colony to bestow legal authorization to slavery, recognizing human captivity was acceptable in 1641. Hence, the 1641 bylaw is not purposely aimed for a certain tribe or ethnic group. During that period, there were also white men that were prisoner of war that were sold in some parts in the Caribbean. On the other hand, the Chesapeake colonies (including Virginia and Maryland), who made its mark during the 17th century composed of 70 to 85 percent white settlers were actually “Indentures”, meaning, that they are indebted to whomever
Religion was very important to the Puritans in the 1600s. John Winthrop a member of the Puritans gentry, wrote to his wife the ‘I am verily persuaded God will bring some heavy affliction upon this land.” A year later he went and lead a group of a group of puritans to New England. By the 1630s another twenty thousand Puritans would come to America. When John became governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, he told immigrants that will have to guide people toward this holy ideal or they were not welcomed.
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.
They came to New England to practice Christianity in a new way.” (Background Essay) Puritans believed in predestination, this means that God had already determined who is going to heaven and who is going to hell. They believed if they worked hard enough and did enough good they would be able to go to heaven. Puritans were scrupulous and
Puritans and Pilgrims were members of the Church of England who in the 16th century began to protest against what they perceived as serious abuses by religious authorities. Both groups are part of Puritanism, an activist movement after the English Reformation which wanted to purify the Church of England by eradicating both corruption and remaining traces of Catholicism. Each group looked to Scriptures as their authority on religion. Although, the Puritans and the Pilgrims shared a common history, and beliefs there are differences that separated them, such as why they left England, their aspirations of the New World and how they governed their colonies.
The pursuit of religious freedom is not a contemporary idea. For centuries many have valiantly fought against oppression and persecution in order to worship freely without restraint and judgement. Some of the earliest immigrants who migrated to this country did so with the hopes of being able to worship in a manner than aligned most closely with their religious beliefs. Many of the principles that founded this nation are based on the premise of religious freedom and toleration. Undoubtedly one of the most influential and prominent religious factions to land on these shores in pursuit of this right, were the Puritans.
Were the Puritans tolerant of others? When the Puritans arrived after the Pilgrims in the 1630s, they established Massachusetts Bay Colony, the New Haven Colony, the Connecticut Colony and Rhode Island. When they came over to the new world, they came with their strong religious beliefs that set the foundation of our country today. One of the key influencer of this Puritan movement was John Winthrop.
Puritans believed nothing was more important than education, because it would rear children properly and allow for their society to prosper and survive. ” … Puritans taught their children to read and write.” (Hollitz, Page 22) Learning to write gave children the ability to write diaries, letters, and many other writings which permitted them to express their feelings, keep notes, and learn. Reading was very important to Puritans and was heavily taught in schools, because it was “one chief project of that old deluder, Satan, to keep men from the knowledge of the Scriptures.”
The Puritans came to the new world in the early 1600’s to build a wold where there religion could be purified from many of the corrupt ways of the Church of England. The Massachusetts Bay colony gave new hope for those fighting for a new way of life. Puritanism was responsible for shaping much of America. Ideas of Puritan culture is not only important because they were the first ones to travel to the country, but because they offered ideas that are still established in American culture. Our works habits reflect a Protestant work ethic.
In US History, many have realized that the architectural styles of important buildings can easily describe the priorities, beliefs, and behavior over the course of time frame. That we are presently concentrating on the type of attitudes as well as priorities that the English occupants brought once they arrived in America. When the English colonists first arrived in America, they had a variety of attitudes and priorities, which could be seen in their own architectural design. The English settlers that settled in England region were mostly Puritans who arrived in America this is because they have objected things with English way of life.
destination. The Puritans voyage will also face hardship as they traveled along the stormy seas. This journey lasted about “For sixty-seven days the passengers on the Mayflower had to deal with poor living conditions, spoiled provisions and the constant threat of disease.” The May flower was not created for accommodating its passengers so each individual found and area below deck to rest themselves. The voyage was filled with storms and windstorms which often affected many of the travelers to become nauseous making living on the boat worse.
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
Puritans are Europeans who escaped religious persecution from the Church of England. The Puritans age likely varies from children to adults. However, it’s apparent that Winthrop is appealing more towards Puritan males to create their ideal utopia. Winthrop evokes God to entice the colonist to fruitfully colonize the land. He uses nationalism, religion, and imagery to entice the colonist into creating a bountiful colony.
Puritanism literature was heavily reliant on religion and the characteristics had a direct relation to religious beliefs. Puritans thought they were pure and they justified their wrong doings by using God’s word. They didn’t like Catholicism because they believed they needed to reform their practices and rejected Native Americans for their differences. The people had strong relationships with God and believed God to be the highest figure of authority for their culture. Here Follows Some Verses upon the Burning of Our House by Anne Bradstreet convinces the readers of god’s power as, “[her] pleasant things in ashes lie, And them behold no more shall I”
More than 80% of Americans have Puritan ancestors who emigrated to Colonial America on the Mayflower, and other ships, in the 1630’s (“Puritanism”). Puritanism had an early start due to strong main beliefs that, when challenged, caused major conflict like the Salem Witch Trials. Puritanism had an extremely rocky beginning, starting with a separation from the Roman Catholic Church. Starting in 1606, a group of villagers in Scrooby, England left the church of England and formed a congregation called the Separatist Church, and the members were called The puritans (“Pilgrims”).