1. Characteristics of Puritan Literature
Use with Puritan Characteristics Chart worksheet.
Adapted from Vancover Island West School District Powerpoint
Greenville Public Schools, Greenville, SC

2. Characteristics of the Literature
Strenuous and Serious
because life was an unrelenting moral struggle
Serious and Sober
Did not want to show light-mindedness or worldliness'.
Rational and Orderly
because God’s creation was logical and harmonious, all verbal representation should exhibit the same traits
Realistic
Attempted in writing to present life exactly as they saw it.

3. Primary Dramatic Element was the struggle between Christ and Satan
Plain Style
Very distinct and orderly
Used scriptural analogies
Used incidents from daily life and allusions from the Bible
Primary Dramatic Element was the struggle between Christ and Satan
Puritans believed themselves to be God’s predestined champions.

4. How the power worked
Ministers had “unofficial” authority, but profound importance
Only male members of the church could vote.
Outsiders were not welcome – if they wanted to stay they had to convert to Puritanism
Puritans were very nosy, always checking to be sure their neighbors were being “good” Puritans

5. 7 tenets of 17th Century Puritanism These go on the worksheet
Absolute Sovereignty of God: God rules all things.
Predestination: everything has been decided by God beforehand
Providence: God directly intervenes in this world
Natural Depravity: Since Adam’s fall, all people are born in sin and deserve damnation
Doctrine of the Elect: Through God’s mercy a few are saved by God’s grace alone, not by own efforts.
Evil is Within: Man needs to reform himself, not institutions
God is revealed in the Bible

6. Other Puritan Beliefs God is everywhere and in everything
They came to the New World to purify the church from within
They were on a divine mission; they were the “city upon the hill”—articulated by John Winthrop in his sermon called Abella Covenant in 1630
" ... for we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all people are upon us; ..."

7. Were not somber or sad
Wore colored clothes.
Had games like horse racing
and ninepin bowling
Had celebrations, partook of “strong waters”
Not opposed to pleasure but saw its regulation as part of a well-ordered society

8. Emphasis on moral behavior
Danger of wilderness and nature
Looked UP to God, not OUT in the world
Faith was their rock. Human intellect was valued.
Believed a Spartan (simple) existence led them closer to God
Denied free will (because they
believed in predestination)

9. Promoted education and reading
Must be able to read in order to read the Bible
Against anything the Bible is against, technology, democracy, pride, sleeping during sermons, divorce
Created first college, first bookstore, first newspaper

10. Now what
Take all this information, especially the “tenets” and use it to complete the worksheet “Puritan Characteristics.” Use copies of both texts to help you find your citations.