Unit 1: Historical Background Information English III Mrs. Norman

Before the Puritans When Christopher Columbus reached North America in 1492, the continent was already sparsely populated by several hundred Native American tribes.

Church of England In the 1500s, England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and formed its own church--called the Church of England. This “English Reformation” began in order to annul the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, so that Henry VIII could marry Anne Boleyn. Henry took the position as Supreme Head of the Church of England, and he became excommunicated by Pope Paul III. Several colonies in the United States were founded as a repercussion to the English Reformation.

Pilgrims A small group of Europeans sailed from England on the Mayflower in 1620. This group created the Mayflower Compact, which served as a model for self-government. The passengers were religious reformers who chose to withdraw from the Church of England, many of whom were persecuted and harassed by followers of the church and accused of being traitors of the state. This action earned them the name Separatists, or what we know today as Pilgrims. They landed in the New World and established a settlement of what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts. Eventually, the colony was engulfed by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the much larger settlement to the north.

Puritans: Establishment Like the Plymouth Colony, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded by religious reformers. They were known as Puritans. Unlike the Plymouth Colony, who withdrew from the Church of England, the Puritans had the intention of “purifying” the church from within and restore an earlier Christian society. Puritans believed that the Church of England was too similar to Catholicism, which they thought of as evil. Puritans considered the Pope the anti-Christ and believed that the Catholic church was a site of evil that performed the devil’s work. Puritans also believed in simplistic, understated meeting houses, unlike the stained-glass, statue filled Catholic churches. In America, the Puritans hoped to establish what John Winthrop, governor of the colony, called a “city upon a hill,” a community guided by the Bible in all aspects. It would be a theocracy, a state under the immediate guidance of God.

Puritans: Radically Conservative Religion affected every aspect of Puritan life. The Puritan writings occasionally reveal a sense of humor, but most demonstrate `the hardships of life that forced them to be practical. In one sense, the Puritans were radical, since they demanded fundamental changes in the church of England; however, in another sense, they were extremely conservative. The Puritans preached a plain, unadorned Christianity that contrasted greatly with the cathedrals, vestments, ceremony, and religious hierarchy of the Church of England.

Puritans: Beliefs Puritan beliefs were far from simple, but they agreed that human beings exist for the glory of God and the the Bible is the sole expression of God’s will. Puritans believed in predestination--John Calvin’s doctrine that God has already decided who will achieve salvation and who will not. The “elect,” or saints, who are to be saved cannot take election for granted. Because of which, all devout Puritans frequently searched their souls with great rigor for signs of grace. The Puritans believed in original sin and felt that they could accomplish good only through continual hard work and self discipline. {Puritan Ethic}

Puritan Literature Puritan genres include: sermons historical narratives poetry Puritans wrote in plain style, using simple sentences with common language.

Puritan Literature Characteristics emphasized self reliance and hard work strenuous & serious attempts to represent life adequately every event represents a “double reality” a natural occurrence a significant message from God, everything happens according to the will of God {fate}

The Great Awakening Puritanism was in decline throughout New England by the early 1700’s, as more liberal Protestant congregations attracted followers. There was a reaction against this new freedom, which set in around 1720. The Great Awakening was a series of religious revivals that swept the colonies, led by eloquent ministers such as Jonathan Edwards. The Great Awakening attracted thousands of converts to many Protestant groups, but it did little to revive old-fashioned Puritanism. Old-fashioned Puritanism had been the dominant religion of New England, and it had all but vanished by the time of the American Revolution; however, its ideals of hard work, frugality, self-improvement, and self-reliance are still regarded as basic American virtues.

Quiz Time What religion did the Church of England most closely represent? Why was the Church of England founded? What was the primary difference between the Separatists and the Puritans? What was one reason the Puritans disliked the Church of England? What were two ideals of the Puritans? What are two characteristics of Puritan literature?

“Attempted Flight of Puritans”