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American Puritanism

1.Time:17th century

2.place: New England, the North America

3.Historical Background:

In the year 1620, 102 Pilgrims went on board the ship “the Mayflower” for Virginia, the British colony at that time.They arrived at Cape Cod at the eleventh of November and settled at Plymouth(at the south of Maachuetts)and established the first

colony, Plymouth.While on board the ship, 41 out of the 102 paengers signed “The Mayflower Compact ”, the first written law in American history.4.Basic Puritan Beliefs

1).Total Depravitythe concept of predestination

3).Limited AtonementGod's grace is freely given, it cannot be earned or denied.5).Perseverance of the “saints”mysterious because he is separate from the world.2).To make him more relevant to the universe.3).To glorify God.6.The Style of Puritan Writing

1).Protestantthere was a purpose to Puritan writingboth religious and political.2).Pragmaticism-practicality and purposivene.8.Some Writers:

1).the first American writer: Captain John Smith(1580-1631)

Captain John Smith is now aociated wih the English expedition that founded the Jamestown colony(in East Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in North America)in 1607.Since his writings were the first ones appearing in English in the New World, those who favor the definition of “America” in terms of English cultural sources suggest that American literature literally begins with Captain Smith.However, this view might be culturally too narrow-minded.Works: 1)A Description of New England(1964)

2)Advertisements for the Unexperienced Planters of New England, or Anywher e(1631)

3)The True Travels, Adventure, and Observations of Captain John Smith

(1630)

4)General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles(1624)

2).William Bradford(1590-1657),Bradford was a colonial writer whose name has become synonymous with the

Pilgrims and the Mayflower.In 1620, the bradford party sailed on the Mayflower and came to Cape Cod, Maachusetts.Between 1621 and his death in 1656, Bradford was elected the Pilgrim Governor

of Maachusetts thirty times.His best known work is The History of Plymouth Plantation which he began in 1630(the completed version was first published two hundred years later, in 1856.)His concern is more with the spiritual pursuit in America.3)John Winthrop(1588-1649)came to America in 1630 on the Arbella.He was the first governor of the Maachusetts Bay Colony states.Works: The History of New England

A Model of Christain Charity

4).Two Verse writers: Anne Bradstreet(The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America)and Edward Taylor

a.Anne Bradstreet(1612-1672), a Puritan poet who wrote “ponderous verses of interminable, inter-locking poems” on the four elements, the constitutions and ages of man, the seasons of the year, and the chief empires of the ancient world.Anne’s “domestic” poems and the Contemplations are today recognized as her best literary achievement.b.Edward Taylor(ca.1642-1729)was the poet of “wilderne baroque,” and is regarded as a major figure in colonial literature.His reputation, however, was postuhumously established.As he lay dying at the age of 88, Taylor requested that his poetry not to be published.His heirs honored his request.Consequently,Taylor’s poems lay buried in dust and anonymity for two centuries.In 1937 his manuscript, some four hundred pages bound in a leather book, was discovered in the Yale University Library.In his elaborate metaphors he was reminiscent of Richard Crashaw(1613-1649), and George Herbert(1593-1633).In his splended, exotic images, Taylor came nearest to the English baroque poets.Works: Series of Meditations, Huswifery

c.John Cotton: the first major intellectual spokesman of the Maachusetts Bay Colony, “the Patriarch of New England”.Concerned with authority than with democracy.I.Puritan Beliefs and Values

A.Predestination--all events are foreknown and foreordained by God

B.Election--God chooses who is saved and who is damned.Nagging Puritan question: “Am I saved?”

C.Value of education

1.Publicly supported schools needed to oppose Satan(“Old Deluder” laws)

2.Harvard founded in 1636 to train ministers

3.Probably 70% of New England literate in 1770

D.Intolerance--error must be opposed and driven out

1.Persecution and expulsion of Anne Hutchinson(1638)

a)Criticized ministers for not preaching covenant of

grace

b)Held religious meetings in her home

c)Challenged the political and religious leadership

of Maachusetts Bay.2.Roger Williams expelled for “new and dangerous opinions”((1638)

a)Preached complete separation of church and

state--the state should have no influence over a

person's conscience

b)Religious groups should be supported by voluntary

tithes, not taxes

c)Indians should be paid for lands.d)Settled Rhode Island and established complete

freedom of religion(including Jews, Catholics, and

Quakers)

3.Puritans persecuted and killed Quakers(such as Mary Dyer)for preaching “inner light” doctrines.II.Puritan Political Life

A.Voting restricted to church members

B.Blurring of political and religious authority--theocracy, not democracy

C.Halfway Covenant developed to allow unbaptized members(children of Puritans)to vote and thus preserve influence of Puritan authorities.III.Salem Witchcraft Crisis(1692)

A.Group of girls accused fellow villagers of witchcraft

B.Trials(featuring “spectral evidence” and body searches for birthmarks)resulted in convictions of many and executions of 20 people and 2 dogs.C.Reaction resulted in anti-Puritan sentiment, weakening of Puritan authority, and apologies from some religious leadersIV.Puritan Contributions

A.Self-government and community responsibility

1)Democracy in church rule led to democracy in town meeting

2)All community members responsible for conduct of citizens

B.Education critical for individual and community succe

C.Hard work and thrift demanded of all

D.High standards of moral excellence and conscience(John Winthrop--“City Upon a Hill”)