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“The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, might be happy." - H.L. Mencken Religion Leads to Offshoots.

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Presentation on theme: "“The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, might be happy." - H.L. Mencken Religion Leads to Offshoots."— Presentation transcript:

1 “The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, might be happy." - H.L. Mencken Religion Leads to Offshoots

2 The Great Migration 1630-1640 Oppression at Home pushes many to seek refuge and redemption in the colonies

3 Essential Theme: Every society constructs what one scholar has called a “perimeter fence,” which sets the boundary between actions and beliefs that are acceptable and those that are not.

4 BELIEVED THAT BECAUSE GOD HAD BLESSED THEM, THEIR VIEWS ON WHAT WAS TO BE BELIEVED AND PRACTICED WERE BEYOND QUESTION Never lost awareness of the fact that they were unworthy of God’s love and still imperfect in their understanding Ultimately, the belief that if the colonists lived as God desired them to, he would allow them to “see much more of his wisdom, power, goodness and truth than we have formerly been acquainted with.” - John Winthrop

5 As 1000s more colonists migrated to the Americas and 2 nd and 3 rd generation colonists began to drift away from their original religious purpose. - The Halfway Covenant (1662) provided a partial church membership. - Puritan preachers hoped that this new plan would keep some of the church's influence in society, and would allow for new half-way members to see the benefits of being a full member and they would want to be born again in order to experience the full membership.

6 Puritan “Rebels” Young, popular minister in Salem.  Argued for a full break with the Anglican Church.  Condemned MA Bay Charter. Did not give fair compensation to Indians. Did not give fair compensation to Indians.  Denied authority of civil govt. to regulate religious behavior. 1635  found guilty of preaching newe & dangerous opinions and was exiled. Roger Williams

7 The Bloody Tenant of Persecution… by Roger Williams [1644]

8 1636  Roger Williams fled there.  MA Bay Puritans had wanted to exile him to England to prevent him from founding a competing colony.  Remarkable political freedom in Providence, RI Universal manhood suffrage  later restricted by a property qualification. Universal manhood suffrage  later restricted by a property qualification. Opposed to special privilege of any kind  freedom of opportunity for all. Opposed to special privilege of any kind  freedom of opportunity for all. RI becomes known as the “Sewer” because it is seen by the Puritans as a dumping ground for unbelievers and religious dissenters  More liberal than any other colony! (Becomes settlement for Baptists as well.) Rhode Island

9 Intelligent, strong-willed, well-spoken woman. Threatened patriarchal control. Antinomialism [direct revelation]  Means “against the law.”  Carried to logical extremes Puritan doctrine of predestination.  Living a Holy life (Good Works) was no sure sign of salvation.  Truly saved didn’t need to obey the law of either God or man. Could attain it through Faith Alone Puritan “Rebels” Anne Hutchinson

10 1638  she confounded the Puritan leaders for days. Eventually bragged that she had received her beliefs DIRECTLY from God. Direct revelation was even more serious than the heresy of antinomianism. WHY?? Puritan leaders banished her  she & her family traveled to RI and later to NY.  She and all but one member of her family were killed in an Indian attack in Westchester County.  John Winthrop saw God’s hand in this! Anne Hutchinson’s Trial

11 In 1636, Thomas Hooker, a Cambridge, Massachusetts minister, established the first English settlement in Connecticut. –Convinced that government should rest on free consent, he extended voting rights beyond church members. –Eventually helped formulate the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (arguably the 1 st constitution in the colonies) which granted the franchise to male citizens recognized by the colony Note: Two years later, another Massachusetts group founded New Haven colony in order to combat moral laxness by setting strict standards for church membership and basing its laws on the Old Testament. This colony was incorporated by Connecticut in 1662. Connecticut

12 New England Spreads Out

13 New England Colonies, 1650

14 Persistent questions: What is the source of religious authority? Is it the individual or the community? Who decides? How much dissent can a religious community tolerate? What are the limits, if any?

15 Pennsylvania

16 The Quakers Called Quakers because they “quaked” during intense religious practices. They offended religious & secular leaders in England.  Refused to pay taxes to support the Church of England.  They met without paid clergy  Believed all were children of God  refused to treat the upper classes with deference.  Keep hats on.  Addressed them as commoners  ”thees”/“thous.”  Wouldn’t take oaths.  Pacifists.

17 Quaker Meeting

18 Aristocratic Englishman. 1660 – attracted to the Quaker faith. Embraced Quakerism after military service. 1681  he received a grant from king to establish a colony.  This settled a debt the king owed his father.  Named Pennsylvania [“Penn’s Woodland”]. He sent out paid agents and advertised for settlers  his pamphlets were pretty honest.  Liberal land policy attracted many immigrants. William Penn

19 Royal Land Grant to Penn

20 Penn & Native Americans Bought [didn’t simply take] land from Indians. Quakers went among the Indians unarmed. BUT…….. non-Quaker Europeans flooded PA  Treated native peoples poorly.  This undermined the actions of the Quakers!

21 Penn’s Treaty with the Native Americans

22 Government of Pennsylvania Representative assembly elected by landowners. No tax-supported church. Freedom of worship guaranteed to all. Forced to deny right to vote & hold office to Catholics & Jews by English govt. Death penalty only for treason & murder.  Compared to 200 capital crimes in England!

23 Pennsylvanian Society Attracted many different people  Religious misfits from other colonies.  Many different ethnic groups. No provision for military defense. No restrictions on immigration. No slavery!! “Blue Laws” [sumptuary laws]  against stage plays, cards, dice, excessive hilarity, etc. A society that gave its citizens economic opportunity, civil liberty, & religious freedom!!


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