Puritan Government
What is Puritanism? “Puritanism, a movement arising within the Church of England in the latter part of the 16th century, which sought to carry the reformation of that church beyond the point represented by the Elizabethan (1559), and attempt to establish a middle course between Roman Catholicism and the ideas of the Protestant reformers.” (Funk and Wagnall 1) Very many people think that Puritan government was different than the modern day American administration. Some similarities of the Puritan government and the American democracy include, “Respect(s) the dignity of the individual, stress the importance of education, commit to principles rather than to individuals, (and) reject tyranny.” (Miller and Johnson) The Puritan government has in very many ways influenced the present-day American administration. Nevertheless, the basis of the Puritan government was different then the basis of the current American administration. The Puritan government, also known as Congregationalism, consists of the church, family, and severe, strict laws.
The church had a very large impact on the Puritan government. “The most striking feature in the life of New England is found in its religion. The State was founded on religion, and religion was its life. The entire political, social, and industrial fabric was built on religion. Puritanism was painfully stern and somber; it was founded on the strictest unmollified Calvinism; it breathed the air of legalism rather than
Puritanism was a major belief during the 1500s-1700s, Puritans believed that you are required to devote your whole life to the Lord. In order to be a Puritan you had to glorify God by attending church, report sinners, and show God’s grace through your own actions. In
In the 1630's and the 1640's, the Puritans traveled to the colonies to detach from their opinion of a convoluted Church of England. They set up towns and started new lives that were all based on their idea of a pure religion. The Puritan's definition of a pure religion did not include many of the ideas of the Church of England. They built the colonies and made a system based upon the idea that God was the most important aspect of life. Puritan ideas and values influenced the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660’s by spreading their beliefs into every facet of daily life. Politically their ideas regarding what was considered sinful behavior and how power was separated among the
The Puritans had what was known as town meetings, which was where members of the community would come and discuss town issues and would then vote using the principal of majority rule. Another form of government the Puritans had was the General Court, which was the state legislature and also a judicial court of appeals. Puritans were known as Congregationalists; that is when the church congregation is independent and is self-governed. Only elected members could serve in the church; they were known as living saints. Among the first Puritans to arrive in the New World was John Winthrop who was appointed governor and his intent was “to create a city upon a hill”. This city was to act as an example for the rest of the world. Now because of the Puritans we have democracy and forms of congregationalism which took part in politically developing the New England
When the Puritans first came to America, they settled in Salem, Massachusetts. In Salem there was a village and a town. The richer would live in the town, as the less fortunate would live in the village. In the village … in the town… Since the Puritans governed themselves, they chose the laws and how to run the government. In the village and town going to church was one of the most important things to Puritans. It was so important, that they would go to Church every single day. Anybody that would not attend church was frowned upon and was in fact illegal. Having a church membership, however did have its benefits. The citizens of Salem that did attend church were able to vote. This caused for church members to have a considerable amount of power and influence, they would practically run the church and decide everything. Since the Puritans established Salem they decide all the rules, because they saw it as their “responsibility toward God” (Marlowe 29). This explains why they were so strict with their lives and church. The government the Puritans ran had no religious freedom,
Above all, Puritans believed that it was their destiny to settle in what was the New World, and set up an example of the ideal community for the rest of the world to emulate. They also believed they were sent by God on a divine mission to escape persecution and spread their religion freely. Since the United States rose to power its people have been convinced that the democratic system, equality, free markets, and its way of life are the most perfected governing methodology to date. The first trace of this was in Monroe Doctrine, then the civil war, followed by the United States? involvement in World Wars I and II, and above all
The church and Christian beliefs had a very large impact on the Puritan religion and lifestyle. According to discovery education, “Church was the cornerstone of the mainly Puritan society of the 17th century.” Puritan laws were intensively rigid and people in society were expected to follow a moral strict code. And because of Puritans and their strict moral codes, any act that was
Their government was in the form of a republic, which later became a model for the United State’s future government. They came up with the idea of two houses of representatives that could pass bills and as we can see in the U.S. government today, their idea stuck (Chamber, ). Even though their government was a republic, the Puritans pushed the principles of democracy. Their ideals, such as freedom, liberty, and religion, became a base for our society today. The Puritans also left a legacy of conservatism which remains an important factor in North American government today (The Social Studies Help Center). What’s more, Puritan influence helped shape North American constitutional and common laws, such as “Congress shall make no laws establishing religion…” (McGowan et al. v. Maryland).
The puritans go create the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They didn’t have strict rules like England, people were not forced to go to church, it all seems great. However, there were many issues. Puritans believed in Calvinism, or predestination. This was the idea that everything is preset by God and nothing you do can change your fate. “Nothing a person did in his or her lifetime could alter God’s choice or provide assurance that the person was predestined for salvation with the elect or damned to hell with the doomed multitude.” (The American
How the Puritans Influenced the New England Colonies In the time period of the early 1600’s the colonies of New England developed very rapidly. New England’s colonies were greatly and effectively influenced by Puritans ideas and values, which helped form the colonies in many ways. The Puritans derived in the Church of England and were Protestants. They desired an exhaustive discipline and weren’t happy with the Church’s offerings.
The Separating Puritans (Separatists), like those in Plymouth, believed that the Church of England was corrupt and that true Christians must separate themselves from it. The non-separating Puritans, like those who settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, wished to reform or change the established church from within. The Separatist group in Plymouth was much stricter in the way they lived their lives than their Puritan brothers who eventually settled in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The History.Com staff gives a good picture of what the Separatists view point
The Puritans formed a government called a theocracy. A theocracy is a type of government in which the head of the church is the head of everything. God was in charge in their government. When, the Puritans arrived in New England
For the Puritans in the early New England colonies life was by no means easy, but there was the possibility to expand their beliefs free from the persecution from Church of England. They had the opportunity to create their ideal society under God with the bible as their law from which they would define how to live. The Puritans set out to create their model society which could spread and cull the impurities from the church. But how did these beliefs and goals ultimately effect their society?
The Puritans were a group of "congregationalists" that didn't support the Anglican church because the church was too "catholic".They also believed reformation was needed and an egalitarian environment was necessary.
The Puritans goal in New England was to create the perfect pure society where nobody sinned and God ruled completely. They attempted this by making laws about and regulating every aspect of life in the colony. To achieve this, the church needed to rule the colony. And if the church ruled the colony, only the real Puritans could be part of the church. They believed only a minority of the population pure enough to be a part of the church. In reality very few people were ever able to give enough evidence that they had completed their part. As a result, two-thirds of the population failed to qualify as church members. The Puritans enacted many laws to keep the non-Puritans living religious lives. They created an official whose only job was to check up on ten families daily to see if anything out of the ordinary was happening and to make sure everyone who was able went to church. Their idea was that everybody, even if they weren’t part of the church, should be very religious. Therefore they created their laws with principles based on the Old Testament. They dreamed of a society where everybody followed the laws and lived a peaceful, god-fearing existence. To make this dream realizable, the Puritans created severe penalties for breaking the laws. These ranged from whipping and being thrown in the stocks for minor offenses, to banishment and death by hanging for serious ones. To be a good Puritan one had to work hard all
A group of people called the Puritans desired a new way of life, Puritans desired something that would follow the ways of the ancient Israelites, so they started their own Christian denomination which was looked down upon. The Puritans needed a religion that focuses on the time of God and beliefs people had in his time. The study of the Old Testament and the understanding that their destination after death is confirmed by their actions in their lifetime is their main focus. Everyday was a new day to live and worship God in hopes of salvation. Puritans thrived for purity and simplicity in their daily lives in hope of sinless lives. The Puritan church believed in the reformation of the Church of England,the doctrine of predestination displaying in their daily lives, and the guidance of their ministers.