THE PURITANS
PURITANS
• Puritanism began in the 16th and 17th century as a reform movement against the Church of England. The Puritans followed the teachings of ________ ___________, a French Protestant theologian.
• The aim of the early Puritans was to
_________________________________________________________________________________________, not to leave it, but their ideas were too strict and they were forced to practice their beliefs in secret.
Puritans and Massachusetts
• The Massachusetts Colony was very different from the other colonies in that it was a _______________.
• ______________ means that the government that ruled the colony was very religious.
• Since the Puritans escaped their homeland so that they could practice their own religion, they wanted to preserve their religious principles in their new home.
PERSECUTION AND EMIGRATION
• The Puritans were unsuccessful in their attempt to impose their purifying ideas on the established Church. Persecution followed and a group arranged to journey to the wilds of America on The Mayflower.
• In their new society, the ______________ had great political influence, although a group of men of property in the community exercised a measure of control over church affairs.
Artist’s conception of Puritans’ journey to America
Puritans landing in the New World
Puritans in New England
BASIC PURITAN BELIEFS
• _____________________________________.• _____________________________________.
No amount of good behavior or good works can alter God’s plan.
• ____________________________________________________________________________.
• God’s grace is freely given, it cannot be earned or denied. But, it is only given to “the chosen.”
THE PURITAN WAY
• The Puritan Church was an ______________ building. There was no crucifix. There were no statues, music, or stained glass windows.
• The ______________ read a passage from the Bible and then delivered a lesson.
• Men sat on one side on hard benches. Women sat on the other.
• There was no labor on the __________________ (Saturdays): no cooking, cleaning, farming, etc. The day was spent in quiet reflection after the service.
Puritan Oligarchy
• Puritanism in America was an ______________ .
• An oligarchy is a form of government __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
• The Puritans were governed by a group consisting of the minister and select group of men of property.
Puritan Meeting House
Puritans at home.
Education of children
• All children were required to attend school. • Puritan children had to learn to
____________________________________________________________________________.
• Children and adults read the Bible or religious texts. ______________________________________.
• Drama and secular fiction was considered to be inspired by the Devil.
The Hornbook
A Puritan child holding a Hornbook.
A Hornbook was a wooden paddle with a narrow handle. Handwritten lessons on parchment were tacked onto the wood each day.
Page of a Hornbook
A – In Adam’s Fall, We sinned all.
A Puritan Family
The Puritans were a strict society. Sins both social and religious were punished.
• Stocks – A man convicted of public drunkenness would have his head shaved and hands placed in a locked stockade for a day. The community would be invited to pelt the guilty with food.
• A man or woman would be forced to wear a handwritten sign indicating their crime.
• Branding on the cheek, forehead or hand would reveal a more serious crime such as horse thief or adulterer.
Criminals in stockades
Punishments continued
Women only could be dunked into the water on a stool – crime – gossip.
Whipping was a common punishment. Various crimes had a certain number of lashes.
Public shaming – the criminal is pulled by a rope through town while everyone points fingers, throws small objects and laughs.
The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book, The Scarlet Letter, reveals another method of shaming.
Puritan Influence
• The United States has long had a decency code for films although it has been relaxed a great deal. (PG-13, R, NC 17)
• The American Library Association releases a list of challenged or banned books each year. Titles have included all of the Harry Potter books, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Color Purple.
www.paulsboro.k12.nj.us/hslib/puritans.ppt