Essential Questions – Pilgrims and Puritans
Date
12/10
Essential Question(s)
Essential Answer(s)
a) Who were the next groups from England to come to a) The Pilgrims and Puritans were the next groups to leave England
to set up colonies in America.
America to set up colonies?
b) They came to America for "religious freedom" and to escape
religious persecution in England.
b) Why did they come to America?
#1
12/11
#2
a) What was the religious climate in Europe that
made people from England come to New England?
b) What are the vocabulary terms for Pilgrims and
Puritans?
12/12
#3
a) Who were the 2 major groups that came to New
England?
b) What were the important facts - 5W's- for Pilgrims?
c) What important document did the Pilgrims write,
and why was it important?
12/14
#4 a) What was the relationship between the Native
Americans and English?
b) What did the Native Americans do to help the
Pilgrims?
c) What effect did the Native Americans have on the
English?
12/17
#5
a) What are the 5 W’s for Puritans?
b) What were the Salem Witch Trials?
a) King Henry VIII of England fought with the Pope, then began
the Church of England. He expected everyone to become a
member of that church. All others faced persecution. Religious
freedom and religious tolerance were NOT part of English
policy.
b) See #3 and #7.
a) The Pilgrims and the Puritans were the 2 major groups that came
to New England.
b) See #13 (student version)
c) The Mayflower Compact was the important document the
Pilgrims wrote. It established a self-government in the Plymouth
colony.
a) The Native Americans and English had a somewhat peaceful
relationship early on when there was a treaty between the groups.
Conflicts over land, which led to the Pequot War, broke the peace.
b) Native Americans helped with establishing a food source (they
taught the English how to grow corn), and maintaining an alliance
by signing a peace treaty.
c) The Native Americans helped the Pilgrims survive and grow
strong. The New England colonies would not have lasted without
their aid.
a) When: 1630; Who: John Winthrop, Anne Hutchinson; Where:
Massachusetts Bay Colony; What: Purify religion – Church of
England, religious freedom, “City on a Hill” – build a model
religious city, Church and State (government) linked in the
beginning, Church and State separated by dissenters (like Anne
Hutchinson); Why Important: Fundamental Orders of Connecticut
(1st constitution in colonies), Strong work ethic passed down to
Americans, Separation of Church and State, Strict laws and rules.
b) The Salem Witch Trials were caused by girls exhibiting strange
12/18
#6 What is the lasting legacy of the Pilgrims and Puritans?
behavior. Puritans did not tolerate “difference” and asked everyone
to report those who were “different”. Hysteria caused accusations of
witchcraft by many. Accused people were put on trial and
confessions were obtained but thought to be forced out of the
accused. 24 people died either by hanging or conditions in jail.
This made the Puritan legacy darker. We did learn many lessons
from the Salem Witch Trials, like a “cooling off” period can avoid
injustices, trials should be kept fair, and we should be skeptical of
confessions that are the result of torture or when the person
confessing has a selfish reason to confess.
The lasting legacy of the Pilgrims and the Puritans largely has to do
with education and government. Puritans and Pilgrims were
motivated by studying the Bible to teach all children how to read.
They established public schools paid for by all community
members, teachers in each town, and early colleges like Harvard
University. They also established self-government in America,
leading to elected legislatures and town meetings, and the
separation of Church and State. The Mayflower Compact and
Fundamental Orders of Connecticut were important documents that
influenced later governments in America. Other more general
contributions are: claiming land from the Native Americans with
mostly unfair practices (negative part of legacy), work ethic
(positive), strict religious standards and lack of religious tolerance
(could be somewhat good, is somewhat bad), Thanksgiving
(positive), and the Salem Witch Trials (negative).