Socio-Economic Characteristics Of Puritans In New England

In the 1630's and the 1640's, the Puritans traveled to the colonies to detach from their opinion of a convoluted Church of England. They set up towns and started new lives that were all based on their idea of a pure religion. The Puritan's definition of a pure religion did not include many of the ideas of the Church of England. They built the colonies and made a system based upon the idea that God was the most important aspect of life. Puritan ideas and values influenced the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660’s by spreading their beliefs into every facet of daily life. Politically their ideas regarding what was considered sinful behavior and how power was separated among the

England’s desire for economic gain and religious freedom sparked the beginning of their interest in colonialism in America (Gouch, LeGuin, & Walton, 1998). While some settlers came to America in search of gold or other riches, the Puritans that settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony came to escape religious persecution and have freedom to worship as they desired. In 1630, over a thousand Puritans arrived, being led by a lawyer named John Winthrop. All English settlers were required to set up charter system governments. This system allowed the settlers to organize

According to US History, a community of christians traveled across the ocean to an unknown land, different from the society they left behind, they called themselves Pilgrims. The Pilgrims made up the states of Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, which were the southern colonies. The Puritans made up the New England colonies, they were located in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. The first half century of English settlement both puritans and pilgrims traveled along the northern Atlantic coast. This adventure was a dynamic period of discovery, interaction, and growth. The Puritan colonists faced a multitude of hardships, which only increased religion that prompted their migration to America. Pilgrims and Puritans colonies lived two different environments. Puritans believed in not only worshipping together but that any matter of the local community were resolved while maintaining Church over state or non interference from any king or Government; Pilgrims believed in gaining wealth using, this was their priority.

The New England colonies developed rapidly, largely due to the influence of the Puritans. The Puritans came to the new world seeking religious freedom and helped found most of the colonies in the New England region. The Puritans wanted a United government that will later become the basis for the Unites States, they believed that the overall well being of the people was more important than the well being of the few, and the Puritans believed that religion, church, and community were important aspects of the people’s lives. The Puritans’ religion allowed them to prosper in the political, economical, and social development of the New England Colonies in the 1630-1660’s.

English settlements along the eastern seaboard later became the thirteen colonies which would form the US. To establish a presence in North America, England relied on private trading companies, one in particular, the Virginia Company, established the country’s first permanent settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. Puritans, reformers who wished to “purify” the Church of England, settled in New England but their efforts lacked success and some wanted to split from the church. Among those who desired to split from the church were William Bradford and John Winthrop who both assisted in bringing new settlers to the colonies. The Puritans’ values of hard work, thrift, and responsibility led to thriving settlements and financial success.

They were not able to change the ways in Great Britain so the group decided to move to North America. Not on the bases of Jamestown to profit of new land but to be able to practice their beliefs freely. They wanted to be self-governed and to establish education and a new rules they felt fit for their people. In 1630 the Puritans sailed to America and established the town of Plymouth County. The settlers of Massachusetts suffered the same problems as Jamestown with lack of food, disease, and issues with Natives. Jamestown however, was believers of Anglican faith, which was the Church of England. While the Puritans where the first self-governed colony. and religiously free from the mother

Representative government was used in the form of Town Hall meetings, where officials would be elected once a year. In Limitations of Government, John Cotton wrote that “It is therefore most wholesome for magistrates and officers in church and commonwealth never to affect more liberty and authority then will do them good; and the people good.”(Doc H). Cotton’s purpose in writing this was to show that in is beneficial to limit the power of the government in order to allow for the good of the people. Puritans believed that no one should become too powerful, otherwise they might try to undermine the power of god. While this system of government promoted the liberty of the commonwealth, certain Puritan ideas withheld these liberties from a majority of the people. Since religion was a focal point in New England, only churchgoers could participate in these elections. Yet due to the belief that women should be subservient to their husbands, those churchgoers had to be men. These restrictions, followed by the requirement that these men be free and white, left a tiny fraction of the population able to exercise the right to vote. This system of government was, however, revolutionary for it’s time, and made great strides from England's own Parliamentary system.

Therefore, the Puritans strived to work towards religious and moral reforms, and to do so, first escaped persecution from the Church and the King. As a result, a group of non-separatist Puritans led by Thomas Dudley and John Winthrop established a colony in Massachusetts Bay, mainly in order to have religious freedom, but also to maintain British cultural influences (before they had ventured to North America, they lived in Holland for a few years, but decided to leave in order to settle “as a distinct body of themselves” in the New World). Unlike in the Chesapeake Bay regions, religion was at the forefront of everybody’s mind, as every settler was a devout follower of God (at least at the beginning). Therefore, the cardinal principle in their community was a sort of religious exclusiveness as the Puritans held their spiritual beliefs, which translated into certain “community laws” and customs, highest. On the other hand, religion was a negligible motivator for colonists settling in the Chesapeake Bay regions.

The puritans go create the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They didn’t have strict rules like England, people were not forced to go to church, it all seems great. However, there were many issues. Puritans believed in Calvinism, or predestination. This was the idea that everything is preset by God and nothing you do can change your fate. “Nothing a person did in his or her lifetime could alter God’s choice or provide assurance that the person was predestined for salvation with the elect or damned to hell with the doomed multitude.” (The American

With religious reforms causing controversy in England came the Puritans, known for their simplicity in their way of life. They wore basic clothing and were against consumption of alcohol and sex (unless married). With the disagreements of the religious conflicts happening in England, the puritans “wanted to purify the Church of England from within.” The sole reason the idea sparked to settle a colony in America was in search of a Puritan lifestyle and the freedom to do so. On March 4, 1629 King Charles gave the Massachusetts Bay Company a charter while not knowing the true nature of what this colony was to become and for the reasons behind it. Still, the Puritans left for America in March 1630. In contrast to the type of people who immigrated to Virginia, the Massachusetts population was mostly nuclear families, meaning husband, wife, and kids. Also differing from the colonists in Virginia, the settlers in Massachusetts Bay worked together for the common good of the colony. Along with their lives and beliefs, their government and politics were religiously based as well and soon they decided upon a Congregationalism form of church government. Their churches were a matter of choice but in order to become a member they had a strict regulation “In order to join one (a church) a man or woman had to provide testimony–a confession of faith–before neighbors who already had been admitted as full members.” Because religion was the bases behind Massachusetts being colonization crimes and religious disagreements called for serious

The Massachusetts colony, otherwise known as the ‘Massachusetts Bay colony’ was originally settled by Puritans in 1630. They were plagued by the religious persecutions of King Charles I and the Church of England. Weary from this dogged torment, they left England under the leadership of John Winthrop. These original colonists quickly established many small towns in the name of high religious ideals and strict societal rules. They also planted churches, spread Puritanism and religiously educated the masses, as these were some of their goals. A utopian society that other colonies looked upon with high regards was the ultimate goal.

The colonies were a way for people to break away from England or other European countries. These people started new lifestyles where they could freely practice their own religions. They made a living for themselves with limited interference from the country of origination. During this time in England, the Church of England was being led by Calvinists. The group known as the Puritans were “continuing to press for reforms of the Church of England along Calvinist lines” (Wilson). The tension between the two groups led a group known as the Separatists, who disagreed with the Church of England, to leave England and find a better life for themselves and their family.

The Puritans had what was known as town meetings, which was where members of the community would come and discuss town issues and would then vote using the principal of majority rule. Another form of government the Puritans had was the General Court, which was the state legislature and also a judicial court of appeals. Puritans were known as Congregationalists; that is when the church congregation is independent and is self-governed. Only elected members could serve in the church; they were known as living saints. Among the first Puritans to arrive in the New World was John Winthrop who was appointed governor and his intent was “to create a city upon a hill”. This city was to act as an example for the rest of the world. Now because of the Puritans we have democracy and forms of congregationalism which took part in politically developing the New England

Religious uniformity was very important as they were intolerant of any other religion, and only church members were part of the government at first. Citizens were required to attend Church services as part of the law. Most of the people in New England had been merchants or small farmers in England. In New England however, the rocky soil made it hard for a lot of farming, so the Puritans turned to the coast. They built up major industries such as shipbuilding and fishing, and established trade routes with England, and the Caribbean. The New Englanders were a very pious and hardworking people, very different from their southern neighbours.

Most Puritans practiced subsistence agriculture, but some did earn a small profit by selling their crops. A more common way to support yourself was through fishing, usually cod. Also due to the huge forests in that area people created timber and shipbuilding businesses. Trade was a larger part of life in port cities like Boston, but in smaller settlement it held less importance. The self reliance of the Puritans is what held the greatest value in their societies economics.