Puritan Doctrine/Beliefs Predestination – God decides who will be saved. No amount of church going, Bible reading, or good deeds will change that. Grace - gift from God by which you know you are “chosen” Plainness & Simplicity – Simple worship in simple churches, plain homes, plain clothes, no entertainment.

Puritan Doctrine/Beliefs Divine Mission – Start “new Eden” in America. City on a hill/new untried country. Make it an example of true Christianity to the rest of the world. Original Sin – Inherent evil of mankind. Because of Adam and Eve, man is born with sin on the soul. Can only be removed by experiencing Grace. This comes directly from God to a chosen few.

Puritan Settlements There were Northern settlements: Two of the most important/famous are:  Plymouth Plantation  Massachusetts Bay They came to America to escape religious persecution and to establish a new world order based on their religion.

Puritan Settlements Southern Settlements  Came to America for different reasons than the Northern settlers English gov’t granted charters to land it claimed to corporations and individuals. Often the 2 nd sons of wealthy aristocrats who couldn’t inherit land from their dad because big brother got it all! Land was easier to farm/better climate

North/South Differences – Religion North Puritans and Puritan doctrine South Church of England

North/South Differences - People North Religious zealots escaping persecution. Establishing new world order South Adventurers – Second sons of wealthy landowners who couldn’t inherit land in England

North/South Differences - Community North Village – Minister at the center. He took care of the needs of the community South Plantation – Landowner at the center took care of needs of the community

North/South Differences – Conduct North Religious zealots. Soul-searching, seeking grace, God’s service South Gentlemen. Mannerly, generous, self-controlled, public service

North/South Differences - Land  North  Poor, rocky soil. Hard to farm. Small holdings, individual farms acres – no slaves needed – cold climate  South  Rich soil – easy to farm – warm climate – conducive to large plantations.  Slaves needed to farm land

The Puritan Legacy The need for moral justification for private, public, and governmental acts The quest for freedom – personal, political, economic, and social The Puritan work ethic Elegiac verse – morbid fascination with death Concept of “Manifest Destiny”

Function of Puritan Writers To transform a mysterious God – mysterious because he is separate from the world To make God relevant to what they knew of the universe To glorify God

Style of Puritan Writing  Protestant – keep simple, reverance to the Bible  Purposiveness – purpose to the writing  Well-grounded in religion  Common themes: Idealism – religious and political Pragmaticism – practicality and purposiveness

Puritan Writers William Bradford – Leader of Plymouth Plantation John Winthrop – Leader of Massachusetts Bay Colony Anne Bradstreet – woman, poet Jonathan Edwards – preached “Calvinism”- “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Cotton Mather Edward Taylor