Abstract This piece is a analysis of Puritanism. The author starts by discussing how the Puritanreligion emerged as a result of the religious and political conflict in England during the 16th century, conflict which the monarchy was unable to alleviate. Then, the author discusses how, the Puritans, who were fed up with the bureaucracy and ritual of traditional Christianity, established a faith built on discipline of faith and the predestination of the Calvinists. After discussing how Puritanism entailed searching for signs that one had been saved, the author shows how some of the Puritans, fleeing religious persecution, established a highly ordered and flourishing colony in New England. The author closes by indicating that the religion eventually failed due to factionalism and a growing desire for personal salvation among its adherents.
Abstract This paper discusses puritan concepts that are still inherent in American society today. On one side, there are the Pilgrims and Plymouth Rock, the blunderbuss and the turkey, and on the other there is also the commonly-held 'dark side,' the Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans: witch-hunts, elitism, intolerance, narrow-minded zealotry. The former is seen to be more influential today.
From the Paper ""I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church." (Thomas Paine) History is primarily the history of ideas. The ideas, concepts and constructions which emerged from Europe in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries had an impact on the whole of the Western world from Europe to its colonies and beyond. The faith in reason, science, technology, progress, human rights, commerce, the nation, and humanity in general, would eventually find its way into a global context. While various Puritan concepts are under fire today, the world has yet to replace them."
Abstract This paper examines how religion has played an essential role in the development of the American political system. The author discusses how from the time of the arrival of the early Puritans, religion has influenced political leaders, played a role in the lives of the founding fathers, and significantly impacted the American Revolution, and the Articles of Confederation and the American Constitution.
From the Paper "Religion played an important role in the founding of the first American colonies by the Puritans. The very name "Puritan" came from the religious sect's desire to "purify" the Church of England. The Puritan religion has its roots in the 1500s and 1600s in England. The Puritans believed that English churches had not completed the Reformation of Henry VIII. As such, they rejected many of the ideals of the major religious denominations of that time. The Puritans believed that anything that did not have a solid basis in the Bible should be removed from the church, including Christmas (Miller)."
Abstract This paper discusses that the Puritans were a highly restrictive people; they believed that their religion was the only correct one. The paper reveals that most of Puritan society revolved around religion, although there is no actual "Puritanreligion" of which to speak; mostly, Puritan society came about because many people arrived in America with non-conformist views toward the Anglican Church. The author states that the concept of Manifest Destiny was important to the Puritans and was reflected in American history because many people believed that it was their God-given right and destiny to expand out toward the West Coast and conquer the lands that they found there.
From the Paper "As for the religious leaders and holy men of Puritan society, they believed that they were far superior to everyone else. This did not include only the people in the Puritan society, but people of other races, nationalities, and religions as well. Often, the Puritan holy men were very rich, but they felt threatened and frightened by individuals of other religions who shared the same duties over their flocks as the Puritan leaders had over theirs. Puritan holy men were believed to be devoid of original sin, and they taught the Puritan society to believe that anyone who preached another religion was an instrument of the devil. They encouraged this not only because they felt threatened by other religious leaders, but also because many of the other religions were more open and accessible to the general public, and the Puritan holy men wished to continue to control society through religion."
Abstract The paper explains the basic Puritan beliefs on religion, morality and justice as illustrated by Cotton Mather. The paper explores Mather's belief that Puritans are God's chosen and those who are different are a threat to the community.
From the Paper "The Puritan society in Boston is described by Arthur Miller in his preface to "The Crucible" as one that was organized to withstand the harsh elements and lifestyle and those considered other Massachusetts tried to kill off the Puritans but they combined they set up a communal society which in the beginning was little more than an armed camp with an autocratic and devoted leadership. Such leadership came in the form of men like Cotton Mather, a devout and zealous pastor."
Abstract This paper looks at the dominance of religion in the lives of early northern colonists of what would later become the United States of America. It focuses primarily on the migration of Puritans from England and the transfer of their cultural idiosyncrasies. It then charts the progression of religion from Puritanism to other forms of Christianity within this area.
From the Paper "The Puritan exodus was typified by middle-class nuclear families, able to pay their own way and 'on a divine mission to create a model society committed to the proper worship of God. ' Many left England to escape the political unease and the imminent civil war and also religious persecution from the Anglican Church towards Puritans. Indeed 'religion was mentioned not merely as their leading purpose but as their only purpose' for leaving England and settling in New England. Those arriving on the shores of the 'Bible Commonwealth' of Massachusetts Bay from the 1630s had been refined from English society and were 'honest men...godly men...and not of the poorer sort.'"
Abstract This paper analyzes the early American settlers in regard to their identity. It compares the attitude of Ben Franklin and the Puritans. It surveys the history of the pre-Revolutionary Puritans and what lead to the search of their identity. It shows how Franklin was a figure who addressed all these issues and was one of the first to document them.
From the paper:
"From Puritan writings onward, and throughout all American literature, a dominant concern has been the question of identity, and/or the search for identity. Puritans, for example, sought to retain their identity and so found themselves having to escape to a "New World" in order to preserve their convictions about God. In the end, Puritans came to view themselves as a "chosen people" ("Introduction" 2). Benjamin Franklin, on the other hand, as one of the authors of the "Declaration of Independence" (amongst other important revolutionary documents), helped construct a later version of the American identity as both independent and self-determining. And as he further advanced the question of identity in American letters, he helped bring to the table related notions of the "American dream" and personal virtue. In so doing, Franklin's vision of America was forged in ways much different than the more communal vision of his Puritan ancestors."
Abstract This paper examines how, as a result of the stringent rules Puritan society put of every aspect of its followers' lives, the religion began to lose many of its members, eventually leading to its demise. It also looks at how its worshippers began to reject the beliefs of the Congregational Church due to their inhospitable nature.
From the Paper "Another contributing factor to Puritanism's collapse and perhaps the most determining aspect of the downfall was the foundation on which the religion was built on. The basis of Puritanism was a theory known as pre-destination, which was the belief that a select few, "the elect", had been destined for ascent into Heaven and all others were fated to burn in Hell, regardless of their behavior on Earth. Many colonists later shied away from this unshakeable damnation, not accepting the Puritan belief that no matter what their actions, they were destined for Hell."
Abstract This paper looks at the impact that the Puritans made on their surrounding society and visa versa. The writer states that, throughout their long history in New England, the Puritans were always laying the foundations of the commonwealth and were religiously preserving their faith and polity from unorthodox contamination. It explains that, aside from their religious lives, the Puritans also widened the area of supply and increased the agricultural output for purposes of export into all parts of the north Atlantic world while raising the standard of living beyond the dreams of their early immigrant forefathers.
From the Paper "In regard to religion, the Puritans were convinced that all forms of church polity and social conduct which had no scriptural sanction were sinful and not to be ignored. To them, the passages of the Holy Bible, as they were interpreted without regard to time, place or origin, were God's positive command and were an all-sufficient authority for life's purposes. Life was not a progress but a state of preparation for the life beyond and the things of the earth that were worldly were rejected, not to mention that the Puritans sought only those things which the Holy Bible demonstrated as being pleasing in the sight of God. Beauty, pleasure and the indulgences of the flesh, even if moderately enjoyed, were harmful to the soul. Righteousness was obedience to God's inscrutable will which the individual was always in direct communication. In essence, ?Puritanism was the reawakened temper of early Christianity.? 8 "
Abstract This paper examines the role of religion and explains its role of in the settlement of the American Colonies. The writer discusses religious persecutions in Europe. The writer also looks at the Puritans concept of religious freedom in the New World.
Tags:Religion, american, colonies, founders, pilgrims, puritans, quakers, religious freedom, persecution, beacon on a hill, william penn
Abstract The paper discusses the impact of religion on the economic development of the American society as a whole from the perspective of the various religious creeds that manifested themselves in the colonies. The paper looks at the Puritans, Quakers, southern Anglicanists and African-American cultural beliefs and shows how religion played an important role in determining the evolution of the US.
From the Paper "Throughout the history of a nation, there are various elements which define the true aspects of its emergence on the international scene and its development from an internal point of view. In this sense, the birth and evolution of the United States was to a large degree influenced by issues such as its European heritage, the social tradition, its economic profile, as well as the religion it practiced. However, taking into account the way in which the US came to be one of the most important democratic models of the contemporary world, the symbiosis of these elements is particular different. The singular identity of each of its colonies gave the US its unique nature."
The Puritan's mission in America was to create a "city on a hill." This paper analyzes how this idealism and quest for perfection resulted in the death of so many residents as described in Arthur Miller's "The Crucible".
Abstract Arthur Miller's "The Crucible", was written in the context of the historical Salem Witch Trials, and shows many innocent people being accused of crimes and sins they did not commit. Miller wrote "The Crucible" to show society has been blinded in response to "witch hunts".
From the Paper "In "The Crucible" Miller describes the life of a puritan community in Salem as being rigid and somber, and for allowing little room for people to break from the monotony and strict work ethic that dominated this society. Furthermore, the Puritan religious ethic informed all aspects of society, promoting safeguards against immorality at any cost to personal privacy or justice. The Puritans of Massachusetts were a religious faction who, after years of suffering persecution in England, developed a rigid sense of community. This puritan society is characterized by a paradox which seems to be a major theme of The Crucible: in order to keep the community together, members of that community believe that they must interfere in others' affairs to guard against immorality. In this book Miller writes about an intense paranoia over morality typical of the Puritan community and about their belief that they are in some sense chosen people who aim at founding a "New Jerusalem" ("The Crucible" p.5), a New City of God in the New World. In addition, this community is one that promotes interference in all personal matters and intensely criticizes any sinful conduct without allowing for any legitimate expurgation of sin, contrary to the Catholics. For this reason, the witch trials may be considered as a mean to break from this strict atmosphere and publicly confess one's sins through accusation. For example, the confession of Proctor of having had a sexual relationship with Abigail probably relieves him from the burden of hiding his sin."
Abstract This article looks at the meeting of the two different cultures of the Puritan colonists and the Native Americans. The writer states that in order to understand how the Indian tribes and the colonial settlers interacted, one firstly has to understand something about the basic differences of culture and attitudes between the two different groups. One of the most important facts with regard to Native American cultures, one which many people do not realize, is that there was no Indian national unity. Rather the Indian tribes were essentially separate and went their own way; with many differences in social customs and perceptions between the different tribes. The writer describes that this explains much of the confusion and misunderstanding that took place when the two cultures met. This is especially true when it comes to the reaction of the white settlers who often saw the Indian tribes as a unified threat against their existence.
From the Paper "On the other hand there was a very different cultural perspective from the settler's point of view. The white colonists were used to thinking in terms of national and social unity. They therefore tended to assume that the Native Americans were a unified threat and were therefore suspicious of the Indian tribes. Therefore many Native Americans would encounter hostility and fear when they first met the colonists that would also create a sense of uncertainly and suspicion among the Indians.
A further aspect that would have influenced the relationships and contacts between the two groups was the idea of private property. Generally the Native Americans did not have a concept of private property, but rather believed in sharing what they had with others. The colonists, being unaware of this different attitude, would have been suspicious and would have feared that their property was in danger."
Abstract The paper shows that despite their disparate backgrounds, styles, and genres, what bonds writers Nathaniel Hawthorne, Earnest Hemingway and Dylan Thomas is their mutually irreverent attitude towards organized religion coupled with a strong need to construct a spiritual attitude towards human and natural life. The paper shows how these views are brought out in the writers' works by discussing various poems and novels.
From the Paper "Ernest Hemingway comes from a directly less religious background than Hawthorne did, and his short stories do not have the same obsessive concern with religion as the earlier author's work. In Hemingway's era, religion had retreated in its importance in American cultural life. Yet this does not mean that Hemingway's stories are absent of either references to religion or religious influences. In his short story, "The Gambler, the Nun, and the Radio," Hemingway does not endorse any specific religious creed. However, perhaps because the tale is told through an apparently omniscient narrator, rather than a narrator that comes from the religious community he is commenting upon, there are more positive examples of spirituality within the story."
Abstract This paper examines Hawthorne's own life and Puritanical beliefs exhibited in his novel ?Young Goodman Brown.? It provides detailed biographical information on the author's life and analyzes the faith and nature of his religious perspective. The paper is loaded with quotes from the novel in support of analytical literary assessments.
From the Paper "Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem Massachusetts on July 4, 1804. Hawthorne had two sisters, Elizabeth and Louisa. He grew up with great access to the classics of English literature, as he injured his foot at age nine and couldn"t play outside for two years. In 1808, his father passed away, and in 1816, his family moved to Raymond, Maine, in a house on Lake Sebago. This provided Hawthorne with much solitude, which he cherished, for three years (Martin 5). In 1819, his mother sent him back to Salem to go to school. It was at this time that he began to write poetry. He also became a bookkeeper for his Uncle William. Hawthorne entered Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Mass., in 1821, and was the first of his family to attend college. He didn"t know what he wanted to be, however."
