Danielle Rassi Mr. Battersby APUSH 11 September 2011 DBQ 1: The Influence of Puritan Values The Puritans were a diverse group of people who stood for religious purity. They believed that the English Reformation had not gone far enough in disposing similarities with the Church of Rome, such as hierarchy. Throughout the 1630s to the 1660s the Puritan’s valued religion and their beliefs were displayed in their life style, from the layout of their church centered town to their idea of salvation. Despite the religious rules, “brethren” community, and Puritan work ethic that influenced their social way of life and produced economic success in businesses, their utopian government fell apart at the rise of conflict between religious and profit motives as well as the clash of opposing ideas to their Puritan political system. The social structure of the New England Puritans was a brotherhood.
The Massachusetts Declaration of Rights demonstrates how the idea of religious toleration was well-suited with the provisional backing of churches in New England. The declaration is divided into three acts. The first article puts forth that all men are free and equal and have certain undeniable rights. The second article states that those men have not only the right, but a duty, to worship the “Supreme Being.” It goes further to say that no one shall have those rights restricted due to the manner in which they worship. The third act gives power to the people to have their legislature appropriate provisions for public houses of worship and to support public religious teachers.
Throughout Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America, he depicts the realities of religion in democracies, while illustrating the importance of Religion in the continued success of democracies. He also states that for a number of reasons, and not unlike all other forms of government, there are dangers. He points out the importance of religion by displaying how it aids the avoidance of these dangers and, the sustained prosperity of democracy. To first determine the importance of religion in democracies, you must first determine its dangers. The first of these dangers is susceptibility of Americans to extreme individualism, and isolation from the community.
The United States of America was not founded on Christian principles but on the enlightened principle of human rights, that all people are created equal, and endowed with certain rights, among those are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Many of the Founding Fathers were practicing Christians but they also saw Christianity becoming increasingly associated with systems of political oppression. They believed any one religion should not be forced upon its citizens and they made religious freedom the cornerstone of faith in the new republic. Their ideals are rooted in enlightenment ideals, trust of reason over revelation and emphasis on natural rights. They were part of the Age of Enlightenment that began in Europe and later came to the American colonies.
The New England’s population settles for freedom from religious prosecution. The people that were prosecuting them were the Puritans. The Puritans only gave religious freedom to people they wanted to give it to. The rigid Puritan control added greater regional difference between the north and the south. In two of the documents written in New England, there were religious issues mentioned.
Thus separation of church and state came into play, with hopes of keeping public morality and avoiding corrupting embrace from the government. Throughout the new nation people had started disestablishing their churches that had deprived peoples from public funding and special legal privileges. The revolution enhanced the different types of American Christianity and widely expanded the idea of religious liberty. This gave people of different beliefs a safe and nonjudgmental environment to express their religion but also threatened the rights of those who undermined church
The essential thing is that since its inception as a nation, America's obsession has been to find social perfection through a triple commitment: the divinity, religion and community. Throughout its history, the nation's politicians have invoked the favor of God in his speeches and stressed the "important mission" of their obligation to fulfill. Manifest Destiny was not a thesis embraced by the whole American society. The differences within the country about the purpose and policy implications of expansion led to its acceptance. It is said that the manifest destiny was positive because it encouraged Americans to explore new places and regions.
These said factors led to considerable contrast. The colonists that settled in New England were families of young age. Family plays an important role in religion, and it shows that the colonists were planning to stay in America and form a community shaped around the church (document B). They were, for the most part, highly religious Puritans who wished to avoid religious persecution and wanted religious tolerance. So, they immigrated to America to follow their ideals, which are expressed in Document A.
Through the Awakening, the Colonists realized that religious power resided in their own hands, rather than in the hands of the Church, or any other authority. The Enlightenment, cultural movement of intellectuals had the purpose to reform society using reason. It challenged the role of religion and divine right and put an emphasis upon liberty, democracy and republicanism in the political life. So, John Locke, one of the prominent E. thinkers argued that the people had every right to rebel against government if it violated their natural rights. All in all, these two major movements produced a new understanding of society's relationships--first with God, and then with government.
Also, the government could offend migrants if they are in control of the church and religion. Finally, we should practice what the bible says, and the bible definitely doesn’t say to pray in public through government. We should never mix church and state together, it creates so much tension. Just think how many migrants who come from different countries and different cultures and religions, if the government controlled the church they might not even let them come the U.S. so that would cause just devastating tension, and it could lead to World War III. How many times in the history of everything that things repeat themselves, many.