The Puritan Philosophy
Basic Timeline
1630: The Great
Migration to New
England (Puritans)
1690
1745
The Great Awakening
1636: Harvard
College founded
1692: The Salem
Witch Trials
1620: Mayflower lands
(W. Bradford) with 100
pilgrims
The Puritan Age
Puritanism: a definition
• As a religion it stems from Roman Catholic
Catholics
Church of England (Anglican)
Puritan (to purify)
• As a way of life it is based on God and his teachings
•Puritans lived in a THEOCRACY
– Church
=
» Elders
» Ministers
=
» Bible teachings
State
government/law
Puritan Views:
• View of God
–
–
–
–
All-powerful
All-knowing
Revengeful
Just/fair
• View of Man
– Sinful
– Unworthy of salvation
•View of Nature
- Used by God as a way to
punish or reward man
Puritan Tenets (beliefs):
1. The Bible is the inerrant (without errors) word of God and an
outline for living
2. Special people (good Puritans) have been chosen by God to
carry out certain actions
3. Your eternal destiny is decided before you are born. How you
live life hints to this destiny.
4. In all aspects of life, be pragmatic (practical) and avoid frivolous
(unnecessary) activities.
5. “Work is necessary and good for you.”
Puritan reasons for writing:
• Puritan literature is both PRAGMATIC and THEOCRATIC
• Reasons for writing are
–
–
–
–
–
Loneliness
To describe the new land
For support from Europe
To explain action (esp. W. Bradford)
For religious purposes (esp. J. Edwards)
William Bradford & Of Plymouth
Plantation
William Bradford: bio
• Son of an English
farmer
• Was the typical first New
England settler
• Extremely religious;
joined a group of
Puritans
• Fled from England to
Holland and then to
America because of
religious persecution
• Reached Plymouth in
1620 aboard the
Mayflower
• Wife either jumped or
fell overboard and
drowned
• 1st winter in America ½
the settlers died
• Became governor of
Plymouth (re-elected 30+
times
Bio, cont.
• Wrote Plymouth’s history (began
in 1630 and ended in 1647)
• 200 years later the manuscript was
published
• Bradford was disappointed that
America fell short of its promise
• Of Plymouth Plantation describes
– Puritan’s flight from England to
Holland to America
– The trials of the 1st winter
– The bloody Pequot War
“Of Their Voyage, and How They Passed the Sea; and of Their Safe Arrival
to Cape Cod”
• Bradford shows Puritan ideals through the story of the
“profane young seaman”
– Many of the ship passengers were very seasick. The
young seaman made fun of the sick and proclaimed
that he would “cast half of them overboard”
– This young seaman was struck down with a terrible
disease and was, himself, the first to be thrown
overboard
– The fate of man is based on his actions (God is
revengeful)
• Voyage was a mix of fair winds and fierce storms
• One of the main beams bowed and cracked ½
way through the journey
• Repaired the beam with a great iron screw (to
raise it) and a post (to secure it)
• Again, pilgrims believed that God would be fair
to them
– “So they committed themselves to the will of God
and resolved to proceed” (26)
• God saves a good Puritan from drowning
– John Howland was thrown into the sea during a
storm
– “it pleased God that he caught hold of the topsail
halyards” (26)
– John Howland “lived many years and became a
profitable member both in church and
commonwealth” (his good life yielded a good fate)
• One person (besides the seaman) perished on
the voyage, William Butten
• They first try to land @ Cape Cod
• Then they decide to travel south down the
Hudson (meet with rough waters)
• Ultimately, they docked @ Cape Harbor
• They landed in winter with no friends to meet
them & no place for them to go
• Bradford declares his trust in God to get them
through
– “What could now sustain them but the Spirit of
God and His Grace?” (27)
“The Starving Time”
• In 2 or 3 months’ time, ½ the ship’s passengers died
– Lack of proper housing
– Infected with scurvy
• 6 or 7 Puritans were healthy enough to care for the others
(chosen by God)
• The seamen were greedy and selfish, keeping food and drink for
themselves even with the passengers so sick.
• The seamen began falling ill too
• Nearly half of the seamen died before they set
sail again
• The pilgrims were much more willing to help
each other in times of need and illness
• The seamen were more barbaric and selfcentered. They cursed each other instead of
caring for each other
“Indian Relations”
• Samoset, an Indian that approached the pilgrims, helped them
become familiar with the land
• Squanto and the pilgrims set terms under which they would all
live. These terms primarily favored the pilgrims (see page 30)
• Squanto continued with the pilgrims as their interpreter and was
“sent from God” (31)
• He aided the pilgrims until he died
Anne Bradstreet & selected poems
Anne Bradstreet: Bio
• 1630 she came from England to
Boston
• Grew up in a Puritan household
• Married Simon Bradstreet @ 16
• Father (Thomas Dudley) and
husband both became governor of
MA
• Published the 1st book of poetry
by an American
• One of the 1st volumes of poetry
by a woman
• 1st volume of poetry contains long
poems on subjects such as
medicine, history, and the
qualities of fire
Bio, cont.
• 2nd volume of poetry contains
shorter poems in a simpler style
about children, family, & home
• Later poems are more intimate
and express her deep attachment
to family and a sense of loss
• Poems express the Puritan belief
that one must not get too attached
to the things of the world
• Typical Puritan wife, quick to
acknowledge the superiority of
men
• Considered the 1st American poet
“To My Dear and Loving Husband”
• Most likely from her 2nd volume of poetry because it is
shorter, written more simply, and addresses family
(specifically her husband)
• Lines 5-6 create an image of wealth (mines of gold &
riches of the East)
• Bradstreet contrasts this material wealth with spiritual
wealth (the love of her husband and God)
• Last 2 lines = Puritan belief that successful marriages
(faithfulness) are rewarded in the afterlife
“Upon the Burning of Our House July 10th , 1666”
• Most likely from her 1st volume of poetry because it is
longer and concerns the qualities of fire
• Lines 8-10 “And to my God…leave me succorless”
show Bradstreet relying on God to give her strength in
tough times and to be fair in his actions
• Lines 14-16 “I blest his name…so ‘twas just” show the
Puritan belief in God’s purpose (it must have
happened for a reason)
• Bradstreet began valuing earthly possession more than
her faith, therefore God took them away
• Puritans are of the opinion that all things in this world
are God’s and he has the right to take them away when
he sees fit
• Lines 43-48 illustrate that Puritans have a permanent
house in heaven “house on high erect/Framed by that
mighty Architect”
• The end of the poem reinforces the Puritan belief in
simplicity and plainness “There is wealth enough, I
need no more…my hope and treasure lies above”
Jonathan Edwards
&
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry
God”
Jonathan Edwards: bio
• Born in East Windsor, Connecticut
• Puritan minister
• Believes that everything in God’s universe exists for
some purpose (stated @ age 11)
• Went to Yale College @ 13
• Early 20s her married Sarah Pierrepont, a woman as
absorbed in God as he
• Was an important part of the Great Awakening
(1735 – 1742)
Bio, cont.
• The Great Awakening was the
attempted revival of Puritanism
• “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry
God” was a powerful sermon that
moved many people  it “aroused
a listening frenzy”
• 1750 – Edwards was dismissed as
preacher of his Northampton
church because of his insistence on
grace as the essence of religious life
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
• Edward’s sermon begins with a thesis – God is allpowerful and keeps you from harm
• He attempts to persuade his congregation through fear
• Humans, his congregation, take their good health as a
sign that they will be kept from hell
• In reality, if it were not for God, all would fall straight
to Hell
• “…wickedness is as heavy as lead”
– A simile comparing wickedness to a tangible (touchable)
item
– Lead drops just as people weighted with sin would
• Man’s attempt to keep out of Hell is ineffective
– Edwards compare it to a spider’s web stopping a
falling rock – impossible
• Imagery – black clouds of God’s wrath, full of
storm and thunder (meant to instill fear)
• God keeps the storm from rushing
upon you
• The wrath of God is like great waters dammed;
His power, over time, builds
• God may temporarily withhold his vengeance,
but your guilt builds greater and greater
• God is the only one that keeps you from death
• YOU=spider, loathsome insect, hateful
venomous serpent
• If you are not born again (achieve grace) then
you are in danger of receiving God’s wrath
• Not all people have the opportunity to repent
for their sins; those that do are lucky
• Edwards end with hope for his congregation to
receive salvation