Who were the Puritans?

• Protestant religious group that wanted to purify the Church of England and create simpler, more democratic way to worship

• Rejected ceremony and adornments not mentioned in the Bible

• Left England to avoid religious persecution

• Create a new, pure society in North America

Values & Beliefs *Human beings are sinful by nature

*Salvation belongs to the elect, or God’s chosen, who can be identified by virtue

*Temperance*Hard work and worldly

success are signs of God’s grace

*Education is essential in order to read the Word of God

• Most common forms of Puritan writing were diaries and histories

• The key element found in Puritan writing was how they looked for signs of God’s working in everyday life

• Wrote in “Plain Style” (strong, simple, logical which made the Bible accessible to all)

• Puritans lived very pious lives because they strove for salvation

• Pious and virtuous on the outside; pious and virtuous on the inside

• Your inner soul was demonstrated by your outward behavior

• People examined their inner lives closely for signs of grace; they lived as well as possible hoping to please God

The Mayflower Compact

• Often called the first U.S. Constitution

• An agreement to work together for the good of the entire group

• Outlined how the Puritans would be governed once they landed in what would be America

• Many historians feel that the Puritan ethic of thrift, hard work, and self-sufficiency contributed to the success of capitalism in the New World. Because the Puritans believed wealth was a sign of God’s favor, they strove to attain it.