The Role Of The Puritans

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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