Puritanism Life in the New World 1620-1800. Puritans Came from England as Pilgrims to escape...
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Transcript of Puritanism Life in the New World 1620-1800. Puritans Came from England as Pilgrims to escape...
Puritanism
Life in the New World1620-1800
Puritans
• Came from England as Pilgrims to escape religious persecution, circa 1620
• Highly, highly (no, really—HIGHLY) religious people—think zealots and extremists
Identity TODAY
Today, many people believe individual identity is shaped by environmental factors, such as
• Culture• Family• Friends• Education• Geography• Personal beliefs
Puritanical Identity
However, Puritans believed that every aspect was controlled and determined by God
•Emotions•Thoughts•Desires•Behaviors•Inclinations•Intuition•Abilities
Puritanical Identity
All abilities, skills, words, and actions were to be directed for God’s service and glorification
•Speakers - Ministers•Scholars - Theologians•Carpenters - Church builders•Parents - Home missionaries•Teachers - Christian instruction•Artists - Christian Painters•Song writers - Hymn writers
Puritanical Identity
• Puritans searched themselves and examined their lives for evidence of God’s grace
• Looked for proof that they were going to heaven
Core Beliefs
• Absolute sovereignty of God• Complete dependence on divine grace for
salvation• Stressed the importance of a personal
religious experience*
*but would harshly judge those who did not publicly attend church
Puritanical Society
• Commonwealth officials insisted that they were God’s elect (Divine Right of Kings)
• National affairs were conducted according to God’s will, as interpreted from the Bible
Puritanical Society
The Bible was Law
Puritanical Society
• No division between Church and State
• Church had direct and EXCLUSIVE control over all colonial actions
Puritanical Society
CHURCH | STATE
Puritanical Society
CHURCH + STATE
Puritanical Society
CHURCH = STATE
Puritanical Society
• Believed that God sanctioned the solidarity of society
• That is, they believed it God’s will for Puritans be separated from non-Puritans
• This is argument for class systems/segregation
Puritanical Literature
• All writing must be purposeful and benefit the society or families
• Literature was NOT intended for mere enjoyment
Puritanical Literature
• Explanation of Biblical texts• Sermons• Application to life in the colony• How-to manuals
Puritanical Literature
• Explanation of Biblical texts• Sermons• Application to life in the colony• How-to manuals
Puritanical Literature
• Novels were NOT written• Not purposeful• Distracted people from work, responsibilities,
and worship
Sermons
• Fire and Brimstone
• Meant to scare people to church
• Preached of depravity/evil of men
Jonathan Edwards
• Puritan minister
• “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Hands of an Angry God
Purpose:• Scare people toward
holiness
Themes:• Men are intrinsically evil• That they aren’t already in
hell is the grace of God
Poetry
• Anne Bradstreet, “Here Follows Some Verses Upon the Burning of Our House, June 1666”
Purpose:• Record personal history• Denounce materialism• Glorify God
Burning of Our House
• Anne Bradstreet, “Here Follows Some Verses Upon the Burning of Our House, June 1666”
Themes:• Treasure lies in heaven• Triviality of material goods• Acceptance to God’s plan
Puritan Beliefs
• Too many possessions/valuing possessions too much is a sin
• Live a simple life
• Women belonged in the house/married young
Puritan Work Ethic
• Idle hands are the Devil’s playground
• One must work hard to get to heaven
• Men worked their jobs and maintained property (an overgrown field or unkempt farm was a sin)
Puritan Work Ethic
• Hard work was necessary for happiness
• Likening laziness/idleness to a sin and valuing hard work were ways to cope with/justify difficult lives
Puritan Work Ethic
• Hard work leads to success (physically and spiritually)
• This eventually leads to the concept of The American Dream
The American Dream
Hard Work and Good Character leads to Success