Puritan History

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Comunicación y Gerencia

• Puritan History

Unit One
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Constantine sees a vision
Theocracy
Government by a god or by officials claiming
divine sanction
All that nations had known from the time of
Constantine, the Roman emperor who made
Christianity the state religion
Persecution of dissenting viewpoints was the
common practice of all churches in the 15th and
16th centuries.
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Why were there Puritans?
In Germany, Martin Luther, a Catholic priest and
university, professor became concerned about the
abuses he saw in the hierarchy of the church. In
1517, in accordance with academic etiquette of
the day, he nailed a sheet of 95 theses to the
church door in Wittenberg. Never intended to
create a new church, only to make changes in the
Catholic church. Excommunicated by church in 1520
MARTIN LUTHER (1483-1546)
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John Calvin

• French Reformer, born Jean Chauvin, or Caulvin
• Founder of Reformed Church Congregational
  Church Presbyterian Church
• Under went a conversion experience in 1533.
• Forced to leave France, emigrated to Geneva where
  he organized the Reformed Church
• Some of his teachings form the first basis for
  democracy

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What did the Puritans believe?

• John Calvins TULIP
• Total Depravity
• Unconditional Election
• Limited Atonement
• Irresistible Grace
• Perseverance of the Saints

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Meanwhile, back in England . . .
1. Henry VIII wants a divorce from Catherine of
Aragon, who cannot bear him a male heir.
3. Henry VIII, being who he is, makes his own
church.
2. Pope says, NO.
Thomas Cranmer becomes the first Protestant
Archbishop of Canterbury
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Who are the Puritans?Englishmen!

• Luthers and Calvins teaching are introduced to
  England during short reign of Edward VI
  (1547-53). Think The Prince and the Pauper.

• Puritanism covered a period from the1550s to
  about 1700
• Originally developed in England to purify the
  Anglican church of the trappings of Catholicism

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Then how did they get here?

• Mary Tudor (1553-1558) reinstated Catholicism.
  Harsh Protestant persecution ensued. Many
  Puritans fled to the Netherlands or other
  European countries.
• Elizabeth (1558-1603) ended imprisonments and
  slayings, but passed acts calling for uniformity
  within the Anglican church (no reform) and
  eventually passed an Act Against Puritanism,
  forbidding Puritan ministers from holding any
  church office that allowed them a pulpit.

Mary Tudor Queen of England
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James I (1603-1625) was sympathetic toward
Calvinism, but recognized that its democratic
tendencies were a threat to his throne. As a
result, he used his power as the head of the
Anglican Church to dismiss Puritan clergymen,
although he did commission an English translation
of the Bibleknown as the King James Version.
From 1604-1609, many Puritan ministers were
suspended from office and left England for the
Netherlands, including William Bradford, future
governor of Plymouth colony.
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A Separatist movement developed within the
Puritans. They had given up on purifying the
church deciding that only a separate movement
could succeed.
Plymouth Colony
William Bradford,Governor of the Plymouth Colony
One small group, the Scrooby Congregation from
Nottingham, broke completely with the Church of
England. Moving first to Holland in 1607, fear
of assimilation and lack of religious fervor led
them to leave for a new land devoyd of all
civill inhabitants in 1620. These people we call
Pilgrims.
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Massachusetts Bay Colony
A group of Puritans, led by John Winthrop and
Thomas Dudley, persuaded King James to grant
them an area of land between the Massachusetts
Bay and Charles River in North America. The
main party of 700 people left Southampton in
April 1630. The party included John Winthrop,
Thomas Dudley, William Pychon, Simon and Anne
Bradstreet. During the 1630s over 20,000 people
emigrated to Massachusetts Bay.
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Most of the settlers of Plymouth were poor and
work-class. The settlers of the Massachusetts
Bay Colony were much wealthier and of higher
social standing. They came as Puritans in the
true sense, not Separatists. While the Pilgrims
of Plymouth are more celebrated in our memories,
the Massachusetts Bay colony had more lasting
impact.
Boston today
Plymouth today
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History of Religion in the Colonies

• Religious zeal waned in the early 1700s,
  ushering in The Great Awakening around 1720.
• John Edwards and George Whitefield
• Led to religious revival in the colonies, but not
  necessarily Puritanism.
• Puritanism in decline by 1750.

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Lasting Effects of Puritans

• Emphasis on Simplicity in Worship
• Public Education
• High Moral Standards
• Democratic Political Principles
• Puritan Ethic Believed good was accomplished
  through hard work, self-reliance, and
  self-discipline. Influenced industrialism and
  efficiency.

Harvard University
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Puritan Literature

• Purpose for Literature
• provide spiritual insight and instruction
• Mostly sermons, theological studies, and hymns

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Style of literature

• Puritan Style - plain writing style with a clear
  statement
• Characterized by short words, direct statements,
  and references to ordinary, everyday objects
• Simple, Spiritual, Straightforward

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Types of Puritan Literature

• Some narrative accounts such as histories,
  biographies, and autobiographies.
• Some poems, journals and diaries, but their aim
  was primarily for serious self-examination
• Did not produce fiction nor drama because they
  regarded both as sinful.

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Helpful Info for Reading Of Plymouth Plantation

• Mayflower left England in Sept. 1620 with 90
  passengers plus the crew
• Sailed with the Speedwell with 30 passengers plus
  crew
• Speedwell deemed not seaworthy (may have been
  sabotaged) and returned to England. 12
  passengers transfer to the Mayflower
• Land first at the tip of Cape Cod in November,
  but move to present day Plymouth before Christmas
• Not the first Europeans in the area

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People in the narrative (who sometimes remain
unnamed)

• Ships captainMiles Standish
• Ships masterChristopher Jones
• First governorJohn Carver, dies during the first
  winter
• PastorJohn Robinson
• Church ElderWilliam Brewster
• Indian mentorSquanto

• And of course, William Bradford

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William Bradford

• Elected governor after the first leader died
• Reelected fifteen times
• Helped create positive Indian
• relations and democratic
• town hall meetings
• Began writing his narrative Of Plymouth
  Plantation in 1630, but it was not published
  until 1856
• Used Puritan Plain Style

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Of Plymouth Plantation

• Narrative Account
• Tell the story of real-life events. Can be
  first-hand or written by someone that researched
  the events.
• Considered the most complete authority on the
  Puritans

First page from Bradfords Journal
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In their shoes

• Youve just landed in the New World!
• No houses are built
• If what you brought is damaged, such as clothes
  and dishes, you cannot buy more
• You had intended to land in Virginia, where some
  people already are living. You now face New
  England weather
• You do not know if the natives are hostile
• You have almost no medicine if you are injured or
  taken sick

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Quick Review

• What is the difference between a Separatist and a
  Puritan?
• What is a narrative account?
• What type of literature did the Puritans NOT
  create?
• What does the Puritan Ethic mean?
• What was the style of Puritan writing and why did
  they write in that style?

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Assignment

• Read Of Plymouth Plantation
  pages 78-84
• Complete the Review and Assess questions on
  page 84 (1-6)
• Questions 1-6
• Complete sentences
• Thoughtful and specific responses are required
  for full credit