This was known as the Great Puritan Migration. Massachusetts Bay was developed with Puritans ideals and values. After being inspired by a sermon, the colonists were encouraged to be a “City upon a hill.” It was to be the example of what living by God Laws meant. It was the belief of all Puritans that they had a special covenant with God, and that belief was central to their philosophy and way of life in a religious and political sense. Puritans saw themselves as the true church and religious freedom was not tolerated in the colonies.
The Puritans mixed religion with politics They believed in both personal and collective autonomy within each village or settlement. Their faith was known as Congregationalism. That gave them local control over both religious and political matters. The well-known New England town meeting was testimony to their idea of self-government. They recognized no higher authority than the Bible, which was the basis of much of their antipathy to the hierarchical structure of the Roman Catholic church.
I found this primary source particularly interesting because Roger Williams was a strong contributor to the idea of separation of church and state, and it is interesting on how he views the subject. What’s also intriguing is that his ideals are still used today. Roger Williams was banished from Massachusetts in 1636 due to his overwhelming conviction of separation of church and state. From his banishment he started his own colony and called it Rhode Island. Rhode Island was soon known for its religious freedom and many flocked there to experience it themselves.
The "Puritan work ethic” sometimes called the "Protestant work ethic” is a phrase that describes the early American philosophy that industry in response to hardship helps one earn God's favor and the salvation of one's soul. The Puritan work ethic made it a religious obligation to work hard in a harsh environment. It rolled piety, courage, and industry into a single way of life. It also motivated the settlers to build a model society based on the values they held most dear. The Puritans believed that a person need not be a member of the clergy to preach the word of God.
How does Millar create Tension in Act One? Before the play begins the audience has preconceptions about what life in a Puritan society should be like. We believe the society to be firmly rooted to their religious and moral beliefs. We also believe that their leader, in this case their Reverend, should hold control and be the natural head of authority, However, during The Crucible, Miller contrasts these preconceptions to build tension from the beginning. The first character we are introduced to is Reverend Parris who is supposed to be the head of authority in a religious society and therefore is supposed to be in control at all times.
By 1750, the New England and Chesapeake colonies exhibited pronounced economic, social and political diversity due to both the differing motives for colonization and the differing geographies of the regions. Essentially, the New England colonies and the Chesapeake colonies were founded by people with distinctly different motives, the two region’s social, economic, and political developments varied greatly. The New England colonists were interested in escaping religious persecution and seeking spiritual enlightenment. This indicated that many of the colonist left England in families which varied the number of population in these colonies (Doc F). In addition the colonist placed a strong emphasis on education, as evidenced by the 1647 Massachusetts ‘Old Deluder Satan Law’ which mandated that if a town exceeded a certain threshold of families it must start a school.
LITR220 The Puritans had strong spiritual beliefs which placed a special emphasis on their conversion experience. They believed all people were born evil and that only the pre-determined grace of God could save them. Puritans strived to serve God in their ordinary lives and worked to establish strong spiritual communities. The community leaders flexed authority over all spiritual and financial matters which also included community laws and customs (Butterfield). Since faith was the centerpiece of Puritan life, it motivated all of their actions to establish settlements with strong ethical and spiritual goals.
They differed greatly in economic structure, religious beliefs, societal structure, and also population make-up. The two regions were very close, but in the end became two completely different regions with unique identities. The New England area was originally settled by people seeking religious freedom in the new world. They were primarily Puritan Separatists. They decided to come to the new world after the Church of England separated from Catholicism in a decision made by King Henry VIII.
Seventeenth-century Salem was a puritan colony and theocracy, meaning laws are based on religion therefore the church tells people how to behave, but puritanism is so strict and single-minded that there is no room for diversity, leading intolerance to corrupt their society. Intolerance was an action that was a major part of puritan society, and is still encountered in our modern world. Usually, intolerance is often a result of religious expectations and differing opinions. Puritans related everything to God and the Devil, like black or white, so judges, just the same as reverends, ruled and judged with religion. Leaders such as Reverend Hale and Judge Danforth from Salem, led the intolerant accusations of individuals who differed and opposed the beliefs of their religion.
Throughout the period from 1630 to 1660s, the Puritans influenced and made big impacts on the New England Colonies. These ideas and values that the Puritans possessed with the church influenced the political, economic, and social development of the colonies. To start with, Puritans migrated to the colonies in search of religious tolerance and to escape the Church of England. The Puritans had a strong belief in unity. This effected political development in the New England Colonies.