PURITAN/COLONIAL
LITERATURE
NOTES
WHY DO WE BOTHER READING THIS?
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AS THE FIRST COLONISTS, THEY LAID THE
FOUNDATION FOR OUR AMERICAN
CHARACTER
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MORAL, ETHICAL, AND RELIGIOUS
CONVICTIONS
PURITAN VALUES ARE PART OF OUR
AMERICAN CHARACTERISTICS
PURITAN VALUES
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SELF RELIANCE
INDUSTRIOUSNESS
SIMPLICITY IN ALL THINGS
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LANGUAGE
CLOTHING
LIFESTYLE
TEMPERANCE
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MODERATION WITH ALCOHOL AND FOOD
A BRIEF HISTORY OF
PURITANS AND THEIR BELIEFS
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THE TERM PURITAN REFERS TO A GROUP
OF PROTESTANT REFORMERS WHO
SOUGHT TO PURIFY THE CHURCH OF
ENGLAND (NAT’L GOV’T RELIGION OF
ENGLAND—HEADED BY KING/QUEEN).
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EVENTUALLY SOUGHT TO SEPARATE THE
CHURCH FROM THE GOV’T COMPLETELY
FACED PERSECUTION AND TORTURE IN
ENGLAND FOR TREASON
They called themselves pilgrims
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Pilgrim: one who goes on a physical or spiritual journey to a
holy place for the purposes of salvation
Why did the Puritans come to the
Colonies?
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WANTED A SIMPLER FORM OF
WORSHIP
WANTED TO FOCUS ON THE
INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
WANTED TO EXPUNGE ALL
CORRUPTION FROM THE CHURCH
Arrival in American Colonies
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Led by William Bradford, the Separatists, a group of
pilgrims, try to find religious freedom in Holland
Left Holland after 12 years for American Colonies
Established a theocracy in Massachusetts Bay Colony
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Theocracy: a form of government in which a single religion
and it’s laws and rules are enforced by the government
Bradford is elected governor of Massachusetts Bay
Colony in 1621—held position for next 30 years
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Wrote “Of Plymouth Plantation” for the express purpose of
inspiring future generations of Puritans
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Understanding what their ancestors had endured for religious
freedom
Maintain the faith
KEY BELIEFS
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PROVIDENCE: DIVINE DIRECTION OR
GUIDANCE; THE WILL OF GOD
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BRADFORD ATTRIBUTES SEVERAL
EVENTS, BOTH GOOD AND BAD, TO
PROVIDENCE
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SQUANTO’S ARRIVAL
DEATH OF THE PROFANE SAILOR AND THE
RESCUE OF HOWLAND
Key Beliefs
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PREDESTINATION: The doctrine that God has
foreordained all things, especially that God has
elected certain souls to eternal salvation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy1IOIlpKaw
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THIS WAS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT FOR PURITANS,
BECAUSE THEY NEVER REALLY KNEW IF THEY
WERE SAVED OR DAMNED
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IF YOU WERE SAVED….
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YOU WOULD “FEEL” GOD’S GRACE
YOUR OUTWARD BEHAVIOR WOULD BE A LIVING
MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S GRACE—YOU ARE “REBORN”
AND BEHAVE LIKE A SAINT
Problems with Predestination?
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SINCE NO ONE EVER REALLY KNEW IF
THEY WERE SAVED OR DAMNED, SOME
WOULD “FAKE IT” FOR THEIR
NEIGHBORS
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LED TO CLOSE SPIRITUAL EXAMINATION
OF DAILY LIFE, LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE
OF GOD’S GRACE
ALSO LED TO THE JUDGING OF OTHERS
AND THE CONCERN ABOUT HOW YOUR
NEIGHBORS PERCEIVED YOU
CHARACTERISTICS OF
PURITAN WRITING
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BORING…DRY…BLAH!
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WHY?
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USED GENEVA BIBLE AS A MODEL
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DIRECT, SIMPLE LANGUAGE
PLAIN STYLE STRESSED CLARITY OF EXPRESSION
AND AVOIDED COMPLICATED FIGURES OF SPEECH
CHARACTERISTICS OF
PURITAN WRITING
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SAW EACH INDIVIDUAL LIFE AS A JOURNEY
TO SALVATION (OR DAMNATION) AND DREW
PARALLELS BETWEEN THEIR OWN LIVES
AND STORIES IN THE BIBLE
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EXPLORED BOTH THEIR INNER, PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND THEIR OUTWARD
BEHAVIOR FOR SIGNS OF GOD’S GRACE
BECAUSE THEY SPENT SO MUCH TIME IN SELF
REFLECTION, THEIR WRITING COMES IN 4 FORMS
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LETTERS
DIARIES AND JOURNALS
HISTORIES
CAPTIVITY NARRATIVES
These are considered to be PRIMARY SOURCES
because they offer direct, first hand knowledge of