Puritan DBQ Essay

Submitted By dikog
Words: 637
Pages: 3

When the puritans pilgrimaged to America in the early seventeenth century, they planted the seeds of their belief that affects Americans to the present day. They deliberately separated themselves from the ‘harsh’ rule of the English tyranny in hopes for an unrestrainted way to practice their faith. The political, social, and economic advancement of the New England colonies was greatly influenced by the original Puritan values. These values, regardless of the slight hypocrisy, these beliefs are what progressed the New England colonies, and what instilled our American values today. The political arrangement that the puritans had was based entirely on the church. These people were extremely religious. They were so religious, in fact, that regardless of the fact that the puritans alleged religious freedom, they banished anyone that was against their beliefs. The puritans primitively supported the separation of church and state. However, men like John Cotton reasoned that the civil government had too much control over behavioral issues whose concern lay with the church.(Doc H) People like Roger Williams believed that the hypocrisy of the government would eventually lead to the corruption of people, and a civil war.(Doc F)
The puritans did, however, have a snippet of the democracy we adopt today. They elected town officials as we do mayors, governors, and presidents, and as I mentioned afore, they supported the separation between church and state. This lead to an eventual democracy for the people, and a sense of freedom of the peremptoriness of Old England's monarchy.
The puritan people were composed of a solidly bonded brotherhood that encouraged an exceptional sense of community among them.(Doc A) The puritans were unsurprisingly motivated to encourage literacy, considering the low literacy rate in the old world.(Doc C) They even went as far as attempting to convert the native Indians to Puritanism.(Doc C) They were spectacularly driven in matters regarding progression of religious studies, and this reflected in their everyday life. This mindset spawned Harvard itself.(Doc E) Be that as it may, even the puritans could stand the test of time for only so long. Men like John Higginson reminded New England that they came here to worship, not to be choked with avarice as the Southerners were.(Doc J) Regardless of the fact that the flame of puritanism was fading with time, occurrences such as the Salem witch trials proved that the religious fervor wasn't quite gone yet, considering the attacks were focused on female proprietors.
One of the most admirable qualities of the New England puritans was their ability of