Whose Time Had Come

The New England colonies consisted of puritans who wanted to purify the church because the Church in England was corrupt. They wanted a place where they could worship freely and work together to

One reason for the Colonial Americans’ growth in faith is the fact the era was abundant with religious figures who strove to lead people to God and created guidelines for them to live by. The people of Colonial America were blessed to abide in an “enchanted world of wonders.” These wonders were no doubt brought on by the hand of God, and the recognition of this fact caused new religious leaders to rise up and help people focus on living Godly lives despite the secular distractions that they were presented with. One Puritan leader, John Winthrop, stated, “That which the most in their Churches maintain as a truth in profession only, we must bring into familiar and constant practice, as in this duty of love we must love brotherly without dissimulation, we must love one another with a pure heart fervently we must bear one another’s burdens…” Winthrop not only wanted each individual person to maintain a stronger focus on faith in daily life, he also wanted them to use their faith to unite together, and his Model of Christian Charity showed the people how to accomplish that. Many people tried to abide by these teachings and pass them onto their children before they made their own way in the changing, confusing world because many parents feared their children would “Fall un’wares in Fowler’s snare.”

Religious freedom was one of the main causes for English peoples to move to the New World. They escaped from the de-catholicization of the Church of England in order to believe in what they wanted to belive in. The government once again did not pay any heed to set an official religious set of rules in the colonies, therefore allowing the people to

Religion plays a major part in many societies, especially the first 13 colonies. Some colonies were even settled solely to have freedom of religion and escape from religious persecution. Massachusetts was one example, as the Puritans first went to Plymouth in 1620 seeking religious freedom. In terms of the New England colonies overall, they remained Puritan. The idea of religious toleration was restricted to only the Puritan religion. A goal of theirs was to establish a “city on a hill”, which they succeeded at by having an atmosphere of “watchfulness” and helping each other. John Winthrop, a Puritan, served as the first Massachusetts Bay Colony governor. Anyone who did not follow this religion were known as

The colonists of Virginia were instructed to worship in the Church of England. They created the House of Burgesses, which was the first legislative assembly of representatives in North America. The colony of Maryland was established as a refuge for Catholics. The people of the New England region were Puritans. Puritans were people who wanted to “purify” the Church of England. The Puritans came over from England to flee from economic problems and religious persecution. They were people who followed strict rules and they learned from reading the Bible. The Puritans developed a form of theocracy for their government. They believed that the church was to follow the beliefs of the Puritans, that the church and the government should operate as

1647 to 1776 was a time of growth in America, during this time colonist emigrated from Europe to America for several reasons, such as the hope to find relief from the war and rebellion occupying Europe, the chance to find bigger farms to make money, and most of all the chance to have religious freedom (“The Thirteen American Colonies” n.d.). Religious freedom was a very important part of the colonists’ lives and culture. According to “Religion and the Founding of the American Republic”, between 1700 and 1740, an estimated 75 to 80 percent of the population attended churches, which were being built at a headlong pace.

Separatism is mentioned often throughout the story also. Separatism is more directed to people who believed that religion should be viewed perfectly. Puritans and Separatists often had the trouble of getting along just because of the differences between the two. Instead of being in one church like the puritans preferred, the separatists believed in forming multiple churches and believed that religion should be spread out. John Winthrop was a Puritan who wanted to share his religion. Since there weren’t many puritans in England, he wanted to form a new colony where he could have strictly just Puritans. This new colony was labeled the “new world” also known as, the Massachusetts Bay Colony. John ended

New England was started for the search of religious freedom from persecution. England’s government required a strict attendance to the Anglican church. If a

Religions in the American colonies have always occupied an important position. For example, Puritans are holding a dominant position in New England area, especially in Massachusetts Bay Colony. In addition, in the 17th century, the government controlled almost everything. According to the article, “Puritan ministers were compelled—upon pain of imprisonment—to wear the surplice and use the Book of Common Prayer, and their congregants were compelled to participate in what they regarded as rote

From 1689 to 1754, new societies in North America required diversity in religion, laws restricting slaves, and class structure. The Glorious Revolution in England shifted power in the English colonies. Catholics were excluded from the freedom given to Protestants by the royal charters. Catholics were also removed from public office and lost power while Protestants gained rights when the Anglican Church eventually became Maryland’s official church. Previously, Protestant men were unable to vote and excluded from voting lists and now they had the rights to vote and be a part of the religious group. “Baptists, Anglicans, and others were now free to build their own church and worship as they wished.” (Fraser 96)

In the seventeenth century, religious persecution ran rampant throughout Europe. In attempt to escape the oppression, many fled to less critical countries and territories. One of the popular refuges was colonial America. Settling in the north, these religious refugees made up a majority in the New England population, endeavoring to use it to form their Ideal society. They could use the new land to implement a new civilization reflective of their beliefs.

The New England colonists, except for Rhode Island, were predominantly Puritans who practiced very strict religious lives. The civil government in these colonies dealt quite harshly with those who dared to disagree with the Puritan church. People were being exiled for speaking out against Puritanism. They whipped baptists. They cropped, or cut off, the ears of Quakers. They even went as far as to hang Quaker missionaries. They did all of this in an order to proselytize and convert people to be Puritan.

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,

The founders of New England had one major benefit when they were settling. The charter given to their company, the Massachusetts Bay Company, contained a provision that allowed the government of the colony to be located in the colony itself. This allowed the like-minded individuals who settled the colony, to begin with, to set their own laws, and elect their own government officials. These founders did not want the church to be controlled by the State, as they felt it was in England, so they made it illegal for Ministers and Preachers to hold Public office. They did, however, expect the community to live up to certain religious standards. They wanted to live as saintly as possible to prove they were members of the elect, destined for heaven, and they wanted to uphold Gods Laws so that God would prevent great hardship and disaster from befalling the colony.

In the Puritan Religion, all children were supposed to be looked down upon, and hold no power. They were supposed to be closer to the devil than any adult, as we could see during the Salem Witch Trials. Death by sin was also constant fear in the child’s mind, and the children were so afraid to sin, that they usually ended up sinning. Also, children lived with the fear of not experiencing God for their memberships to the church. In this time, to be a citizen, you had to be a member of the church. When the children of the elect were born, they were automatically given membership to the church, because they were for surely experience God. When some of them did not, they lived inconstant fear of what was to to come of them and their future children. The constant fears and pressures of the Puritan child lead to problems within the community (Campbell).