Puritan Notes

Owned few possessions Dressed modestly and uniformly Frowned on creative expression

The Puritans

People are predestined for Heaven or for Hell;

they do not have free will Purest communities are completely open to one another

Close relationships Rely on each other for survival

Value hard work and self-reliance

Puritan Beliefs

Reflects their lives—spare, simple,

straightforward Short words Direct statements References to ordinary, everyday objects

Belief that poetry should serve God by clearly expressing only useful or religious ideas

Poetry appealing to senses/emotions was dangerous

Puritan Plain Style

Paradox- statement that may sound

reasonable but is logically unacceptable or self-contradictory Example: I am a compulsive liar.

Contradictory. Is the person lying now when he says this?

Example: I’m nobody.

Come up with your own example now

Terms

Phrase used in John Winthrop’s sermon “A

Model of Christian Charity” Given aboard the Arbella not long before

reaching New England in 1630 Referred to their new place in New England as

a “city on a hill” that would be watched by the world in order to inspire Puritans

“City Upon a Hill”

What does “city upon a hill” really mean?

Being in plain view Not necessarily meaning being perfect First puritan group to settle in America, so

everyone was looking to see what would happen

Historically speaking, previous colonies had not been successful Disappearance of Roanoke Horrors of Jamestown

“City Upon a Hill”