American Visions, American Stories:
The Puritan World View and
Early American Literature
English 441
Dr. Roggenkamp
America . . . A Nation of Stories
America built upon “stories”
Not founded on geographical or linguistic
unity—immigrant, native experiences
 “Stories” or ideologies impart unity to diverse
people and experiences
 Published works, political rhetoric, press
determine which stories become “legitimate”
and definitive
 Role of colonial, early Republic experience
in shaping stories
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Dominant stories & patterns emerge from
European settlement in America
Story of Diversity
Story of Individualism
Story of Expansionism & Colonialism (and
Exploitation)
 Story of Capitalism
 Story of Exceptionalism
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Dominant stories & patterns emerge from
English settlement in America
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Story of Diversity:
Not a single experience or single “story”
Diversified socially, religiously, racially,
ethnically, etc.
Dominant stories & patterns emerge from
English settlement in America
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Story of Individualism:
America as a place to “go it alone”
Not tied to old European alliances,
traditions
Dominant stories & patterns emerge from
English settlement in America
Story of Expansionism &
Colonialism (and Exploitation)
 Right & even God-given duty
to spread across continent
 “Civilize” the wilderness—and
anyone who already lives
there
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Dominant stories & patterns emerge from
English settlement in America
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Story of Capitalism
America as a place where
personal wealth available
Reward for leading godly
life
Image: John Winthrop, Governor, Massachusetts Bay
Company
Dominant stories & patterns emerge from
English settlement in America
Story of Exceptionalism
America as an exception to
the normal state of
nations—an exceptional
people
 America as beacon to
humanity: a “Peculiar
Chosen People—the Israel
of our time”
(Herman Melville)
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Image: Embarkation of the Pilgrims, Robert W. Weir, U. S. Capitol Building, 1837
AND NOW FOR A QUIZ!
(adapted from PBS series “Colonial House”)
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True or False:
The first European colony in the New
World was one founded by the English in
what is now Virginia (Jamestown, of
Captain John Smith and Pocahontas
fame).
FALSE
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The Spanish founded the first
permanent colony at St.
Augustine (Florida) in 1565
The first colony in Virginia was
Jamestown, founded by the
English in 1607
The Dutch founded New
Amsterdam (New York) in 1608
English “pilgrims” arrive in
Plymouth (Massachusetts) in
1620, and English Puritans in
Boston/Salem area 1630
Image: Map depicting destruction of St. Augustine, 1586
True or False?
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The Pilgrims and Puritans usually wore
black and white clothing
False
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Black cloth was expensive and
hard to obtain, so only wealthier
Pilgrims and Puritans owned it,
and they saved it for Sundays
and special occasions
They usually wore beige, gray,
green, red, blue, and purple
The buckles on shoes and hats
are an invention of nineteenthcentury illustrators
Image: From PBS series “Colonial House”
True or False?
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English colonists came to the new world
seeking religious freedom.
Only very partially true.
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Some, like Pilgrims of Mayflower
fame, came seeking religious
freedom as primary objective
But even the Puritans of Salem and
Boston had many motivations, not
just religious—largely POLITICAL
Most colonists came believing there
was money to be made—and
investors came to oversee their
valuable property
Some came just for adventure
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Image: Wealthy English adventurer
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True or False?
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An "Indian princess" named Pocahontas
rescued early colonist Captain John Smith
from certain death and later fell in love
with him.
False, but a Fetching Story
(Sorry, Walt Disney)
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Pocahontas, daughter of Algonquian
Indian chief, was 11-12 when the Virginia
Company, led by Captain John Smith,
arrived to found Jamestown colony
Smith wrote that he was kidnapped by
Indians, who took him to their village to
club him to death
Pocahontas ran in and saved his life
Kidnapping and mock death threat likely
part of tribal adoption ritual
Smith embroidered story about her saving
him—reported that Indian women saved
his life on other occasions as well
Colors of the wind, etc. etc.
Little evidence to suggest
romantic relationship between
Smith and Pocahontas
 Pocahontas later married
colonist John Rolfe and traveled
to England to meet King James I
 Died at the age of 22 and was
buried in a churchyard in
Gravesend, England
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Image: Depictions of Pocahontas
True or False?
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Early colonists celebrated the first
Thanksgiving in November 1621, and it
has been an annual holiday in North
America ever since
False.
(Sorry, schoolchildren of America.)
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Sometime during fall 1621, the
50% of Pilgrims who survived
the first winter in Plymouth
Colony held harvest celebration
with feasting and games.
Menu: lobster and eel
But not called "Thanksgiving"
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Image: 1914 depiction of the "First Thanksgiving"
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Welcome to Turkey-ville
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No one associated the Pilgrims with "Thanksgiving” until
William Bradford’s account of the 1621 harvest festival
was discovered and published in 1841.
In 1863 Abraham Lincoln proclaimed annual Day of
Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November.
By end of nineteenth century when "Wild West" was
settled, white Americans felt comfortable enough with
idea of Pilgrim forefathers dining with “friendly Indians,”
and the Pilgrims became identified with the holiday.
True or False?
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Early English colonists developed strict
laws and harsh punishments for those
who broke them.
Wickedly True
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Elaborate system of laws, fines,
punishments, public humiliations to
keep order
Plymouth Colony: could be put to
death for murder, witchcraft, arson,
rape, adultery, sodomy
Public whipping or being placed in
public stocks
Fines for cursing, missing church,
lying, defying parents
Offenders could be forced wear
badges or cloth letters identifying
crimes (The Scarlet Letter, anyone?)
True or False?
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The Puritans and Pilgrims viewed alcohol
and tobacco as instruments of the devil
and banned them from the colonies. And
they NEVER engaged in (ahem) “adult
relations” before marriage!
False, now pour me another one
EVERYONE (even children) drank
alcoholic beverages—unpurified water
could cause illness and death
 But frowned upon excessive consumption
and public drunkenness (might lead to
having to wear red “D” [for drunkard]
around his neck for a year)
 Smoking also wide-spread, though
dangerous (fire)
 Up to 40% of Puritan babies were
conceived before the ring was on the finger
 http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/ho
liday07/court.cfm
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True or False?
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Early English colonists such as the
Pilgrims and Puritans introduced Christian
holidays such as Christmas and Easter to
North America.
They would be HORRIFIED to know that
many people today think this is true!
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Only three holidays “approved”:
Sabbath, days of thanksgiving, and
fast days
Christmas and Easter viewed as
pagan in origin (technically true—
both holidays drew upon and
incorporated pagan rituals and
symbols), and as holidays
constructed by the Church of
England and the Roman Catholic
Church
In addition, marriage viewed as a
civil union, not a religious sacrament
True or False?
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Enslaved Africans arrived in Colonial
America before the Mayflower did.
True
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In 1619 a Dutch ship carrying 20
Africans to be sold arrived in
Jamestown (Virginia)
Additionally, the majority of America's
first colonists were white indentured
servants (voluntarily came to the
colonies, signing a contract pledging
four to eight years of servitude in
exchange for passage to New World)
Image: Eighteenth-century etching of slave ship Brookes, detailing
packing of human "cargo"
Why use Puritanism & New England
culture as a base for semester?
Ideal of universal literacy
 Printing culture
 Influence of ideology on
early American literature
& beyond
 Influence of ideology on
“national character”
today
 Establishes several
stories of what “America”
means—but not THE
story!
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Image: Still shot from PBS series “Colonial
House,” 2004
Before the Puritans . . .
Native American cultures: pre-contact, approx 300 million
people, 300+ separate indigenous cultures, 800 languages
spoken
 Mostly oral literature—but where “American Literature”
really does begin
 Colonizing by Spanish, French, Dutch, and English, in both
South (Virginia) and North (New England)
 First permanent European settlement on North American
continent: Spanish at St. Augustine (Florida, 1565)
 English: Jamestown (Virginia) 1607
 Literature produced by colonists and printed in colonies
begins 1639, with press set up by Puritans of Massachusetts
Bay (Boston)
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What does “Puritan” mean?
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Originally meant as an insult: label for
those who opposed compromises
Queen Elizabeth I made with Catholic
church
Both a religious, theological label and
a political, cultural label
Way of grouping together very
diverse set of belief systems –
religious, political, social
Not a single, stable, static group of
people
Most common context:
Congregationalists, Calvinists
Image: The Puritan, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, Springfield, Mass. 1883.
Puritanism – Roots
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Label “Puritan” emerges 16th century
European Protestant reformation of
Christianity – reform Roman Catholic
Church (THE Christian Church)
1530s England – Henry VIII parts with
Catholic Church to form Church of
England (Anglican)
His government still a POLITICAL
THEOCRACY—belief in government by
divine guidance
One official state religion, intolerant of
others (crime of heresy)
Puritanism – Roots, 2
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Believe Henry and successors haven’t
gone far enough in wiping out Catholic
influence in England / Church of England
Purify Church of England – get back to
basics of what they think Christianity is
about, including:
Follow only the Christian Bible
Destroy influence of educated
priesthood—individual path to God
without intercession of priest (literacy)
Ban Catholic sacraments / rituals
Ban altars, images, priesthood, convents,
etc.
Ban “pagan” holidays like Christmas,
Easter
Image: St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Northumberland
Puritans: Separatists and
Non-Separatists
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Most Puritans simply want to PURIFY
Church of England, not break with it /
separate from it (Non-Separatist
Puritans)
Simply want to “fix” Church—too close to
Catholic roots
Some, though, think Church (and by
connection government of England) is
beyond fixing (Separatist Puritans, or
“Pilgrims”)
Purify Christianity by separating from
established church
Radical political offense!
Image: Thomas Smith, Self Portrait, circa 1680
Basic World View (Theology)
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Most Puritans who come to New England
in 17th century are CALVINISTS
(Congregationalists)
Catholics—Maryland, Virginia, Rhode
Island, initially
Anglicans—Virginia, initially
Quakers—Pennsylvania (late 17th c.)
John Calvin, Swiss Protestant reformer,
1509-1564
Theology: about an interlocking system
of COVENANTS (laws, legally binding
agreements between God and humanity)
Image: John Calvin
Covenant of Works
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God promised Adam/Eve and all
their descendants eternal life if
they obeyed his law; Adam/Eve
accepted this promise (covenant)
Humanity thus responsible for
earning salvation via works (things
they DO / way they ACT)
Adam/Eve broke covenant
God totally justified in
condemning all humanity to
eternal damnation from that point
on
Covenant of Grace
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God totally just, but also totally
merciful
New covenant with Abraham in
Bible’s Old Testament scriptures: I
will be your God and you will be my
people.
Christian Bible’s New Testament:
Christ’s death fulfills God’s end of
covenant – crucifixion atones for
damnation of humanity
Image: Rembrandt, The Angel Stopping Abraham from Sacrificing Isaac to
God, 1835
Covenant of Grace, 2
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Calvin: God offers salvation not to all
humanity per se, but to select group:
“the elect”
No one knows who is elect and who is
not
Must have more than “intellectual”
faith that you MAY be elect – must
have spiritual, emotional, moving
faith, total devotion to God, church,
state
Constantly watch for signs that you’ve
been offered the covenant of grace
Doctrine of “preparationism”
Image: Last Judgement, Sanctuary Notre-Dame des Fontaines, La Brigue, France
Social Covenant
Idea of covenant organizes Puritan
civic life:
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King/Queen of England not in charge of
church governance
Individual church congregations enter into
own covenants with each other and govern
themselves
Church and government of colonies also enter
into covenants—theocracy
Extremely threatening to English monarchy
Conformity in all aspects of life: “Here’s our
contract with God and each other.”
Quashes dissent: break covenant & you’re out
of church, land, community
Image: General Laws and Liberties of the Massachusetts Colony, 1672
The Appeal; or, What’s In It For Me?
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Covenant system very delicately
balanced—inherent drama
Those not Puritan definitely not
elected
Be part of exceptional group
Belief world about to end—Puritans
to “make way” for return of Christ
Emotional charge – extremely
charismatic religion
Social pressures – economic
pressures
Not just about religion – also all about
politics and social order
Sense of order and community in
totally disordered / fractured world
Image: Richard Mather
Massachusetts Coast (modern)
Of Pilgrims and Puritans:
What’s the difference?
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In some sense, all Pilgrims are
Puritans, but not all Puritans are
Pilgrims
Most Puritans are happy to keep the
Church of England–simply want to
PURIFY it by working from within
(Winthrop, Bradstreet,
Boston/Massachusetts Bay Co., est.
1630)
Pilgrims are radical Puritans—
Church of England has to go—
beyond salvation (Bradford,
Plymouth Plantation, est. 1620)
Image: Facsimile of Bradford’s manuscript for Of Plymouth
Plantation
Of Pilgrims and Puritans, 2
“Separatists” – Separate
from Church of England and
therefore from England itself
 Social outcasts – radical,
subversive, persecuted
 Of Mayflower and First
Thanksgiving fame (a myth)
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Image: First Thanksgiving, Jean Louise Gerome Ferris, early
20th C.
William Bradford, 1590-1657
Separatist Puritans
(Pilgrims) to Plymouth,
1620
 Group most persecuted in
England
 Most radical, extreme views
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Images: William Bradford; contemporary
reconstruction of Plymouth Plantation homes
John Winthrop, 1588-1649
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Member of English landed gentry;
attorney
1629 joins other investors to organize
trading company—Massachusetts Bay
Company
Unlike most other colonial enterprises,
this one not just about making profit
Leads “Great Migration” to New
England (1630-1650)
Image: John Winthrop
Winthrop and 17th-Century
Puritanism: The Ideal and the Real
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What are Winthrop’s and
Bradford’s ideals all about?
What reality does Winthrop’s
private journal and Bradford’s
history show in contrast to
“the ideal?”
Image: Royal Charter, Massachusetts Bay Company, 1629
Figures and typology
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Puritan literature explicates
prophecies of Biblical Old
Testament as foreshadowing of
events and people—first in the
New Testament, then in
contemporary life (by 1640s)
Biblical forecasts of current
events
E.g.: Atlantic journey of Puritans
is “antitype” of Exodus of
Israelites, the “chosen people”
(the “type”).
Image: The First Thanksgiving, Jenny Brownscombe, Pilgrim Hall
Museum, 1920.
Figures and typology: Story of
American Exceptionalism
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Individuals are “chosen”—the elect
But COMMUNITY as whole is “people chosen
of God” as well
New Israelites (Puritans) sent on errand into
the wilderness to establish the new Jerusalem
in anticipation of Christ’s return