the Puritans as a political entity largely disappeared, but Puritan attitudes and ethics continued to exert an influence on American society. They made a virtue of qualities that made for economic success—self-reliance, frugality, industry, and energy—and through them influenced modern social and economic life.

The Puritans were members of a religious reform movement known as Puritanism that arose within the Church of England in the late 16th century. They believed the Church of England was too similar to the Roman Catholic Church and should eliminate ceremonies and practices not rooted in the Bible.

The Puritans also influenced the economic well-being of the colonies by setting a precedent of self-reliance (as far as farming goes), and reducing the dependence on international trade.

Puritans came to the Americas, like many other people, in order to create a “perfect and ideal christian society”. This mind set became the building blocks for the colonies. It became so rooted into the foundation of New England, it affected the colonies economically, socially, and politically.

What is the difference between Puritan and the Age of Reason views on Literature? Puritan Views- Sermons, diaries, poetry about religion/ family. Age of Reason Views- Nonfiction, social issues, pamphlets, essays, poems, songs.

The Puritans’ main fears and anxieties tended to revolve around Indian attacks, deadly illnesses, and failure.

The Puritans believed they were doing God’s work. Hence, there was little room for compromise. Harsh punishment was inflicted on those who were seen as straying from God’s work.

Seven months after gaming was outlawed, the Massachusetts Puritans decided to punish adultery with death (though the death penalty was rare). They banned fancy clothing, living with Indians and smoking in public. Missing Sunday services would land you in the stocks. Celebrating Christmas would cost you five shillings.

But then the commonly-held ‘dark side,’ the Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans: witch-hunts, elitism, intolerance, narrow-minded zealotry; a paradigm used to understand and explain perceived moments of its recurrence within our society, such as in both the 1850’s and the 1950’s, the fervor of morally-crusading …

In other words, New England Puritans failed either because they or their children were inconsistent or because enemies (particularly “that subtle serpent,” Satan) betrayed their cause.

The entire political and social system they established was built on the Puritan religion. As a whole, they professed to love liberty, but the individual Puritan was restrained by strict laws that governed every area of his life – even his family relations. A man could not kiss his wife in public.

Colonists considered lying, idleness (not working), drunkenness, various sexual offenses, and even general bad behavior as crime. Playing certain games in the Puritan colonies, such as shuffleboard or cards, was a crime. Those who flirted could face fines and warnings.

They took their laws from the Bible, rather than English precedent. Consequently, Puritan punishments tended to be doled out less for larceny and more for blasphemy, drunkenness, fornication and smoking.

However, the Great Migration of Puritans was relatively short-lived and not as large as is often believed. It began in earnest in 1629 with the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and ended in 1642 with the start of the English Civil War when King Charles I effectively shut off emigration to the colonies.

English Puritans founded the colony of Plymouth to practice their own brand of Protestantism without interference.

Known as “separatists,” these Puritans left their homeland and in 1609 moved to Leiden, Holland, where they hoped to worship freely, without harassment from church authorities. Some members of the Leiden church returned to England, and on Aug. 5, 1620, they sailed for America on the ship the Mayflower.

In the storybook version most of us learned in school, the Pilgrims came to America aboard the Mayflower in search of religious freedom in 1620. The Puritans soon followed, for the same reason. More than half a century before the Mayflower set sail, French pilgrims had come to America in search of religious freedom.

Many of the founding fathers—Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison and Monroe—practiced a faith called Deism. Deism is a philosophical belief in human reason as a reliable means of solving social and political problems.