1. Welcome, Young Historians
Question for the Day
Were the Puritans selfless or selfish?
Do Now 1. Practice Regents Multiple Choice

2. Question #1
1. The Mayflower Compact, New England town meetings, and the Virginia House of Burgesses are examples of
early colonial efforts in self-government
colonial protests against British taxation
governments imposed by Parliament
attempts to limit democracy

3. Question #2
2. During the colonial period, the British Parliament used the policy of mercantilism to
limit manufacturing in America
prevent criticism of royal policies
deny representation to the colonists
force colonists to worship in the Anglican Church

4. Question #3
3. Court decisions in the trial of John Peter Zenger (1735) and the case of New York Times Co. v. United States (1971) strengthened
freedom of religion
freedom of the press
due process rights
the right to counsel

5. Who are the Pilgrims?
Pilgrims Life Style Video: What was the experience of the second settlers, the Pilgrims, in the new world and in Europe?

6. Notes

7. Who are the Puritans?
Puritan – broad term, referring to a number of Protestant groups that sought to “purify” the Church of England.
Many Puritans were persecuted for their beliefs and fled England for Holland and, ultimately, for North America
Many historians feel that the Puritan ethics of thrift, hard work, and self – sufficiency contributed to the success of the New World.

8. What did the Puritans believe?
Puritans believed that Adam and Eve’s sin had damned most people for all eternity.
They also believed that Jesus Christ had been sent to earth to save particular people, known as the “elect”.
It was difficult to know for certain if one was saved or damned, so Puritans tried to behave in as exemplary a manner as possible.
Puritans favored plain style
Stressed clarity of expression and avoided complicated figures of speech.

9. What are Puritan values?
• Predestination • Strong work ethic • Literacy and education • Community effort (as opposed to individualism) • Man’s inherent sinfulness • God’s omnipotence • Wilderness as the devil’s province •(Puritans saw nature as God’s creation but feared the disorder of the frontier and viewed Indians as savages.)

10. Notes

11. City on a Hill Speech, John Winthrop
Sourcing: Who was John Winthrop speaking to in this sermon? What do you think is the purpose of this sermon?
Contextualization: Imagine what his audience might have been thinking and feeling as they listened to him on the ship. Describe it below.
Close reading: What is the main idea of this speech? What do you think Winthrop means when he says, “We shall be as a City Upon the Hill.”

12. John Cotton, Sermon, Document B
Sourcing: Who was John Winthrop speaking to in this sermon? Why is he speaking about settling in a new land?
Contextualization: In this sermon, who are the ‘inhabitants’ in the new land? Who are the foreign people?
Close reading: What does Cotton say that God will do for the foreign people when they arrive in the new land?

13. Writing is Thinking Are the Puritans selfish or selfless?
Based on these documents, how might the Puritans’ religion shape their actions in the New World?
How can you connect these documents to the unit question see above?