Analysis of Puritan Society
Uploaded by spootyhead on Mar 06, 2007
Analysis of Puritan Society
Over time Puritanism has come to be associated with prudishness, harshness, fanaticism, and superstition. Although this is partially true it tends to be exaggerated.
The Puritans tried to create a model religious society and in doing this some of their actions were misconstrued. The Puritans wanted to create a theocracy, where all of the society’s inhabitants adhered to the doctrine of God. The Puritans believed in Calvinism and therefore one of their main goals was to force the Anglican Church to adopt the tenets of Calvinism. The aspirations of the Puritans were basically, to create a Christian commonwealth, a so-called “city on a hill” that would stand as a beacon to all others for inspiration. In most areas the Puritans accomplished all of their aspirations
Led by John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Massachusetts Puritans sought to create their “Christian City” with laws and rules based on their religious ideals. Each town had its own congregation and its own minister, who preached to them Calvinist precepts. This system of local congregations that selected their ministers and ran their own affairs became known as Congregational churches. The ministers and government officials worked together to maintain holiness, purity, and order. Only church members, those considered the elect or predestined for salvation, could vote or hold political office. The government, in turn, protected the church by levying taxes to support it and by making church attendance mandatory. The Puritans not only tried to live and honest and pious life but tried to force others to do so as well.
The puritans accomplished much of what they set out to do and in some ways accomplished more than they set out to do. The Puritans of Massachusetts Bay were the first people to attempt a publicly supported and controlled local school system. The Puritans also added to the arts. It was under Puritan rule that the first English dramatic production entirely in music was presented. Puritan poetry such as that of Anne Bradstreet is also a noteworthy accomplishment. One area in which the Puritans fell short of their ideals is in superstition. During the Salem Witch Hunt about 20 people were executed and this spread hysteria throughout the colony. This crazed fanaticism is what...