Puritan Influence On The New England Colonies 1630 Through The 1660's

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Puritan Influence On the New England Colonies 1630 Through the 1660's In the 1630's and the 1640's, Puritans migrated to the colonies in search of religious tolerance and to escape the Church of England. They set up towns and started new lives. They molded the colonies and set up a system based on their religious beliefs, because to them, religion and doing for God was of the highest importance. The ideas and values held by the Puritans influenced the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660's by holding town meetings, having a well-defined work ethic, and doing according to God. Congregational Churches had a democracy. They had appointed positions and held meetings to discuss issues in the church. Puritans set up their political government similarly. They held town meetings and held votes on current issues and decisions that needed to be made. They also appointed officials. These meetings molded the political structure of the colonies, and even Thomas Jefferson stated, was “the best school of political liberty the world ever saw.” Not only did the Puritans influence the colonies politically, they also influenced them economically. The Puritans were hard workers. They believed that only prosperity and success could be achieved through piety and hard work. The Puritans worked mostly on farms and traded their goods for other goods that they could not produce themselves. Their work ethic allowed them to establish a strong commercial economy. The Puritans also shaped the colonies socially. The Puritans were deeply religious and lived accordingly. They believed in predestination, which means that only a select few would receive access into heaven. Society was based on the values and strict rules that the Puritans held. They recognized moral weakness, so they went to all measures they could to

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