Religion in the Colonies

US History II

Frustration with Anglican Church

• English Separatists thought church too Catholic

• Traditions, church not seen as necessary to have communion with God

• Persecution for beliefs

Charter Granted

• King allows charter for new colonies in New World

• Religious Reasons

• Pilgrims, Massachusetts, 1620

The Mayflower Compact

• First written constitution in America

• Written onboard Mayflower in 1620

• Provided government based on Biblical principles

Squanto/Massasoit

• Natives who assisted Pilgrims

• Moved into Pilgrim houses and befriended them

• First Thanksgiving

Mass Migration

• Pilgrims’ success sparks Puritan invasion

Who Were the Puritans?

• Wanted a “pure” church free of worldly influence: separate from the world

• Protestant Work Ethic

• Unsure of eternal destination; important to always work hard

• Fearful of the devil

Puritans’ Talking Points

• Money and church not needed for access to God

• Bible as ultimate source for living

• “Pure” church needed

A New, “Pure” Church

• Conversion important

• Reject worldliness of society

• Puritans limited to MA

• Religious Tolerance: None

Life in the Puritan Colony

• Protestant work ethic

• Shunning if one rebelled/challenged traditions

• Constant fear of devil

Puritans, cont.

• Saw themselves as a “city on a hill”

• Example for everyone else on how to live

• Successful Puritan colony would guarantee prosperity, God-based society in future

• Duty to spread

Puritan Life

• Separate from other cultures/religions

• No religious tolerance; Puritan way or the highway

Puritan Persecution

• Persecuted non-believers

• Their way of keeping the church, Massachusetts, and New World pure

Quakers

• Society of “Friends”

• Believed that God loved all people no matter what

• Called for peace, tolerance, abolition of slavery

• Church not seen as necessary

Quakers, cont.

• Settled in Pennsylvania; named after William Penn’s father

• Quickly made peace with natives and gave up land if necessary

• Walking Treaty