4. The Puritans and their effect on American society

Question 1

What is Puritanism?

Answer 1

A religious and political movement in 16th and 17th-century England that sought to purify the Church of England from Catholic influences and regulate both spiritual and societal structures.

Question 2

What did Puritans believe about salvation?

Answer 2

They believed in predestination—that God decided who would be saved or damned before birth. Salvation could not be earned by works, but the “chosen” were expected to live a pious life.

Question 3

What was the “Puritan work ethic”?

Answer 3

The belief that hard work was a sign of divine favor and the key to achieving prosperity.
Basically, work hard or else your moral character is in question. A recipe for capitalism gone wrong.

Question 4

How did Puritans view worship?

Answer 4

Worship should be plain, without art or music, focused solely on God. (peak soulless conformity)

Question 5

What was the Puritan view on education?

Answer 5

They highly valued education, especially for understanding the Bible and ensuring personal salvation.

Question 6

What was the Puritan stance on intolerance?

Answer 6

They were extremely intolerant of any religious error and punished dissent.
Puritan intolerance wasn’t just theological; it had violent consequences like the Salem witch trials.

Question 7

What is the Predestination Paradox in Puritan Belief?

Answer 7

Puritans believed that God predestined who would be saved or damned. However, they also believed that the “chosen ones” needed to live morally strict lives to demonstrate their salvation, leading to anxiety and a culture of moral policing.

Question 8

Why did the Puritans despise Catholicism?

Answer 8

They believed Catholicism created unnecessary hierarchy (priests, the pope), had excessive rituals, and distracted from a pure connection with God.
Catholicism = bad. Puritans = obsessed with simplicity and personal devotion. Anything else was seen as “idolatry.”

Question 9

idolatry

Answer 9

1. bálványimádás; bálványimádat
2. vmi bálványozása

Question 10

How did Puritans simplify sacred rituals?

Answer 10

They stripped worship down to basic elements: no art, no stained glass, no instrumental music, just a focus on the Bible and preaching.
Puritan worship was “no frills” worship—about control and uniformity, not diversity or expression.

Question 11

What is Puritanism?

Answer 11

A movement within the Church of England (16th-17th century) aiming to purify the church by removing Catholic influences and simplifying worship for a direct connection with God.

Question 12

What is Protestantism?

Answer 12

The second-largest form of Christianity, emerging from the 16th-century Reformation, rejecting Catholic errors, emphasizing personal faith, and Bible interpretation.

Question 13

What are key features of Protestantism?

Answer 13

Rejection of papal authority, some sacraments, and the use of Scripture alone as the source of divine truth.

Question 14

What are key features of Puritanism?

Answer 14

Religious purification, political and societal control, emphasis on simplicity in worship, rejection of papal and church hierarchies and moral discipline.

Question 15

What is Catholicism?

Answer 15

The largest branch of Christianity, with hierarchical authority (Pope), sacraments for salvation, and a tradition-based view of God’s will.

Question 16

Key features of Catholicism?

Answer 16

Papal authority, sacraments (e.g., baptism, communion), and the integration of tradition with Scripture to understand God’s will.

Question 17

Puritanism vs. Protestantism

Answer 17

Puritans are a stricter, more radical faction within Protestantism, seeking a purer church and simpler worship; Protestants focused on reforming aspects of the church, rejecting papal authority but still retaining some traditions.

Question 18

Puritanism vs. Catholicism

Answer 18

Puritans rejected Catholic hierarchical authority (Pope, priests) and rituals, focusing on a personal, direct connection with God. Catholics maintain a hierarchical system with essential sacraments and traditions for salvation.

Question 19

Why did Puritans reject Catholicism?

Answer 19

They saw it as corrupt, with too many intermediaries (priests, Pope), distractions (rituals, sacraments), and a focus on “mystery” instead of personal connection with God.

Question 20

What was Puritan worship like?

Answer 20

Simple, with no art, music, or elaborate rituals. Focused on personal Bible reading and direct prayer without intermediaries.

Question 21

What did Puritans reject in sacred rituals?

Answer 21

No art (idolatry), no instrumental music (indulgence), no complex ceremonies (focused on direct scripture reading), and no priests—just ministers chosen by the congregation.

Question 22

What is “salvation by faith alone”?

Answer 22

A Protestant belief (especially among Puritans) that faith in God is the only means of salvation, not works or sacraments.

Question 23

What was the Puritan “work ethic”?

Answer 23

The belief that hard work and discipline were signs of God’s favor and part of being “chosen,” reinforcing productivity as a moral duty.

Question 24

Puritan Democracy vs. American Democratic Values

Answer 24

Puritan Democracy:
- Congregational self-governance: Congregations voted on church matters and selected ministers.
- Limited Participation: Only adult male church members had the right to vote, excluding women, non-members, and the poor.
American Democracy Comparison:
- Puritans contributed to the idea of democratic participation but with limited inclusion. The U.S. later expanded this concept to include all citizens, regardless of gender or class.

Question 25

Puritans and the Concept of “Self-Governance”

Answer 25

Puritans’ View on Authority:

They believed in direct involvement by the community in decision-making (e.g., town meetings).
Democracy for Men: Women had no voice in these meetings and were excluded from political and religious leadership.

American Influence:

The Puritans’ idea of self-governance influenced later democratic practices, but gender exclusion remained a challenge until later reforms (e.g., women’s suffrage).

Question 26

Puritan Views on Women and Gender Roles

Answer 26

Puritan Gender Roles:
Women were expected to focus on household duties, raising children, and supporting their husbands.
Women had no political voice and were excluded from religious decision-making and leadership.
Impact on American Society:
Puritans reinforced traditional gender roles, with women confined to the domestic sphere. This view would be challenged later, but it laid the foundation for patriarchal norms in early American society.

Question 27

When were the Salem witch trials?

Answer 27

1692-1693 (Massachusetts).

Question 28

When did the Pequot War take place?

Answer 28

1636-1638.

Question 29

What was King Philip’s War, and when did it occur?

Answer 29

A conflict between Puritans and Indigenous peoples led by Metacom (King Philip), from 1675-1676.

Question 30

When did the Puritans found Plymouth Colony?

Answer 30

1620.

Question 31

When was the Massachusetts Bay Colony established?

Answer 31

1629.

Question 32

What was predestination, and why did it cause anxiety for Puritans?

Answer 32

Predestination is the belief that God decides each person’s fate before birth. Puritans believed they had to prove they were among the elect through hard work and moral living, leading to insecurity and strict societal discipline.

Question 33

What was the Puritan work ethic?

Answer 33

The belief that hard work and productivity were signs of divine favor. This ethic influenced modern American values, linking success and morality.

Question 34

Why did Puritans reject Catholic rituals and sacraments?

Answer 34

Puritans saw them as idolatrous distractions that undermined a direct relationship with God. They favored plain worship focused on Scripture.

Question 35

What were Puritan views on family roles?

Answer 35

Families were patriarchal, with the father as the head, the mother as a domestic caretaker, and children as obedient followers. This structure influenced the modern “nuclear family” ideal.

Question 36

How did Puritans treat Indigenous peoples?

Answer 36

They viewed Indigenous peoples as heathens, justifying land seizure, forced conversion, and violence. Conflicts like the Pequot War and King Philip’s War led to mass killings and displacement.

Question 37

What Puritan values shaped modern American culture?

Answer 37

• Hard work and productivity as measures of worth.
• Moral policing and judgment of others’ behaviors.
• Emphasis on education as a moral duty.
• The nuclear family ideal (father-led, domestic wife, obedient children).
• Interventionist foreign politics

Question 38

What was the “Puritan democracy,” and how was it flawed?

Answer 38

Puritans practiced congregational self-governance, where church members voted on decisions, but participation was limited to men. Women and non-members were excluded, reflecting broader inequalities of the time.

Question 39

How do Puritan ideals influence modern American conservatism?

Answer 39

• Strict moral standards rooted in Puritan ethics persist in modern social conservatism.
• The nuclear family model and judgment of non-conformity echo Puritan societal structures.

Question 40

What conflicts highlighted Puritan cruelty towards Indigenous peoples?

Answer 40

The Pequot War (1636-1638) and King Philip’s War (1675-1676).

Question 41

What role did education play in Puritan society?

Answer 41

Education was essential for reading the Bible and combating sin, emphasizing literacy as a moral responsibility.

Question 42

When did King Henry VIII separate the Church of England from the Catholic Church?

Answer 42

1534

Question 43

When did James I become king, and what was his significance to Puritans?

Answer 43

1603. He rejected Puritan demands for reform and enforced repressive policies.

Question 44

When was Plymouth Colony established?

Answer 44

1620.

Question 45

When was the Massachusetts Bay Colony founded?

Answer 45

1629.

Question 46

What was John Winthrop’s “City upon a Hill”?

Answer 46

A vision for Puritan society as a model Christian community, meant to inspire reform in Europe and serve as an example of godliness.

Question 47

How did Puritans influence American democracy?

Answer 47

Through town meetings and community decision-making, they introduced self-governance and majority rule, though these systems excluded women and minorities.

Question 48

How did Puritans justify violence against Indigenous peoples?

Answer 48

They saw Indigenous peoples as heathens and obstacles to their divine mission, using religion to rationalize land seizure, forced conversions, and mass killings.

Question 49

What elements of Puritan ideology persist in American interventionist foreign policy?

Answer 49

The Puritan belief in moral superiority and imposing their values on others mirrors how modern policies justify intervention as spreading democracy or morality.

Question 50

What was the significance of Puritans rejecting Catholic hierarchy?

Answer 50

They emphasized direct relationships with God and individual choice in church governance, promoting individualism and autonomy in spiritual matters.

Question 51

When and where did the Pilgrims settle?

Answer 51

1620: Plymouth Colony (present-day Massachusetts).

Question 52

When and where did the Puritans settle?

Answer 52

1629: Massachusetts Bay Colony (north of Plymouth).

Question 53

What was the Pilgrims’ stance on the Church of England?

Answer 53

Pilgrims were Separatists, believing the Church of England was beyond saving and breaking all ties with it.

Question 54

What was the Puritans’ stance on the Church of England?

Answer 54

Puritans were Reformers, aiming to purify and reform the Church of England rather than leave it entirely.

Question 55

How did Pilgrims and Puritans differ in societal goals?

Answer 55

Pilgrims: Focused on building small, isolated religious communities.
Puritans: Wanted to create a “City upon a Hill,” a model society to influence the world.