More handpicked essays just for you.
Influence of Religion on Colonial America
Religion during colonial era
Influence of Religion on Colonial America
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Influence of Religion on Colonial America
Mary Dyer had not agreed with the Puritan religion. She believed that God spoke to everyone through the urgings of his or her conscience; Puritans thought God only spoke to authorities of the church. Dyer also did not believe that the church should govern all aspects of life in the colony. At first, she kept an uneasy silence. But once a woman, Anne Hutchinson, began publically opposing the church, Dyer decided to step in as well.
American Jezebel: The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, the Woman who Defied the Puritans is a biography of Anne Hutchinson written by Eve LaPlante who is a direct descendant of Hutchinson. The book follows her life and gives some insight into the lives of people she was surrounded by. As the book progresses, the reader can better understand who Hutchinson was. It begins with Hutchinson being summoned at her trial at the courthouse in Cambridge, Massachusetts for heresy and sedition.
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.
Being the first two well-known places in which the English would set out to colonize in 1607 and 1620, Jamestown, Virginia and Plymouth, Massachusetts hold very separate set of beliefs, standards, and outlooks on life then and the future to come. While paving the way for things such as slavery, taxes, ownership of land, inclusion of women, tobacco and government assemblies, John Smith and the people of Jamestown became a classical foundation for new life and economic growth for the new world that is, the United States. On the other hand, William Bradford and his people began to realize the intentions of the Church of England were unholy and had strayed away from God’s teachings from the Bible. With this in mind, the Pilgrims set on a voyage to the new world to seek religious freedom. As we know it, the Pilgrims sought for peace and a new way of living that was fair, just and free from religious corruptions.
In her book, American Jezebel: The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, the Woman Who Defied the Puritans, Eve LaPlante explores parts of the life of Anne Hutchinson. Her intent is to tell the story of Anne Hutchinson’s life and clear her name as a woman who was accused of being a heretic in colonial America. LaPlante walks the reader through the trial Anne Hutchinson had with the leaders of her colony and gives background information throughout the book to share the story of Hutchinson’s life. LaPlante starts the story of Anne Hutchinson’s life at the beginning of her well-known trial. She tells of the occurrences in the room and compares Hutchinson’s trial to her father’s trial, which was similar in their accusation and punishment.
argued that Adam had not been made in the image of God, and that Adam had never received the seal of the spirit. Anne Hutchinson believed that she was directly inspired by the spirit of the scripture. Many felt that Vane and Hutchinson were suggesting that the instructions of the scripture was unnecessary. Hutchinson’s criticism of the Puritans for what she considered to be a narrow concept of morality and her protests against the authority of the clergy were widely supported by Bostonians at first. But soon afterwards when John Winthrop opposed her she lost much of her support after he won election as governor.
Like distinctive Puritans of her day, the purpose for Mary Rowlandson’s narrative was to express God 's inspiration in her life. In this
Although all the colonists all came from England, the community development, purpose, and societal make-up caused a distinct difference between two distinct societies in New England and the Chesapeake region. The distinctions were obvious, whether it be the volume of religious drive, the need or lack of community, families versus single settlers, the decision on minimal wage, whether or not articles of agreements were drawn for and titles as well as other social matters were drawn, as well as where loyalties lay in leaders. New England was, overall, more religious than the Chesapeake region. Settlers in New England were searching relief for religious persecution in Europe. Puritans, Quakers, and Catholics were coming in droves to America searching for an opportunity to have religious freedom.
Hutchinson held open meetings for those in the colony who agreed with her and wanted to discuss the prior sermons. She soon became a figure for those with similar religious standpoints. Anne Hutchinson’s mission was to express the idea that “Those who would be saved, were those in whom the Holy Spirit lived; this was signalled by a personal love of Christ and an inner light.” However, the government believed that Hutchinson’s vision would separate the colony and destroy their dream of becoming a “City Upon a Hill”. Hutchinson was willing to take responsibility for the meetings she held and was confident in what she was doing, but she did not give others a chance to take a stand.
While reading about American history the thing that I found most appealing was the limited rights that women had during this era. Although women gave the early settlers longer life expectancy and brought hope to their future, women still were not considered equal to a man. Women were discriminated against and didn’t play an important role in early American history. Generally, women had fewer legal rights and career opportunity than men because they were considered weak and not able to perform certain tasks. Different women came from different ethnic backgrounds and were all created equal in the eyes of men.
During the colonial period many settlers came to the New World to escape persecution for their Puritan beliefs. Writers such as William Bradford, John Winthrop, Anne Bradstreet, and Mary Rowlandson all shared their experiences and religious devotion throughout their literature that ultimately inspired and influenced settlers to follow. This essay will discuss the similarities in Anne Bradstreet and Mary Rowlandson’s work as they both describe their experiences as signs from God. Anne Bradstreet came to the New World as a devoted Puritan as she repeatedly talked about it in her poetry. In her poems she discusses many tragedies that happened in her life such as; the burning of her house and the death of her two grandchildren all of which she thinks were signs from God.
The arrival of the first Europeans in the Americas is dramatically captured through the many writers who attempted to communicate what they saw, experienced and felt. What is more, the very purposes of their treacherous travel and colonization are clearly seen in their writings; whether it is poetry, history or sermons. Of the many literary pieces available today, William Bradford and John Winthrop’s writings, even though vary because the first is a historical account and the second is a sermon, stand out as presenting a clear trust in God, the rules that would govern them and the reason they have arrived in the Americas. First of all, William Bradford provides an in-depth look into the first moment when the Puritans arrived in the Americas. In fact, he chronicles the hardships they face on their way to Plymouth, yet he includes God’s provision every step of the way.
Despite all the years of teaching and advising women, the only written record of Hutchinson’s remains is “Trial and Interrogation of Anne Hutchinson (1637)” (The Social History of Crime and Punishment in America 2010). In her trial, she responded “If any come to my house to be instructed in the ways of God what rule have I to put them away? Do you think it not lawful for me to teach women and why do you call me to teach the court?”. Unlike Hutchinson, Bradstreet had the right to address women publicly because she did so in the context of a loving Puritan
Religious freedom and toleration in the English North American colonies provided little room for those who did not practice the exact same form of government and religion. Although a similarity to America today is that the Puritan "court" provided a ruling to determine the punishment of an individual, however, the similarities stop there. When people came outright to declare their individual practices, such as Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson, they were denounced and, in certain cases, sent into
Early American life (c late 1600s - early 1800s) was a life mainly lived in fear and quite a bit of uncertainty, due to this, a great deal of the literature reflects the values of these characters from this time period. In this time religion is found in most aspects of everyday life, by incorporating religion into their everyday lives it gave people a sense of protection and stability that wouldn't otherwise be present. The Puritan lifestyle uses religion to control parts of life that typically should not be controlled by religion, like government. “The Salem tragedy… developed from a paradox… Simply, it was this: for good purposes, even high purposes, the people of Salem developed a theocracy, a combine of state and religious power whose function was to keep the community together, and to prevent any kind of disunity that might open it to destruction by material or ideological enemies. It was forged for a necessary purpose and accomplished that purpose” ( Miller 7).
