Puritan Dilemma Essay

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The Puritan Dilemma By Edmund Morgan Chapter 1: 1. What aspects of John Winthrop’s life were seen as “medieval man?” Certain aspects of John Winthrop’s life were seen as medieval. Akin to medieval men, John was old-fashioned and appreciated life for it’s natural beauties. As seen in this quote, “He was a country man of simple tastes who liked good food, good drink, and good company. He liked his wife. He liked to stroll by the river with a fowling piece and have a go at the birds. He liked to smoke a pipe” (Morgan 6), one can infer that certain parts of Winthrop’s life remained un-modernized. 2. What effect did Puritanism have on Winthrop’s view of the world and his role in it? Puritanism affected John Winthrop’s view of the world and his role in it in a few ways. As the years passed, he minimized wavering between excess and abstinence. Gradually, he grew into the strength spiritually that was able to aide him from resisting temptation, and that helped him remain spiritual. Due to this, Winthrop was able to not only understand god’s true love, but his own as well. Chapter 2: 1. How did the Court of Wards support the Puritan view of the corruption inherent in English society? The Court of Wards supported the Puritan view of corruption inherit in English society by stating that “the Court of Wards was an archaic institution, devised to administer the lands of the king’s wards… wards were minors who fell heir to land held directly from the king… if Winthrop died before his eldest son came of age, the boy would become the King’s ward, subject to his direction in all things, including marriage; and for the duration of the boy’s minority the king would be entitled to the use of all the Winthrop land...” (Morgan 18) Additionally, their view corruption in England was also supported by when the Court
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