Life as a Puritan

1. Life as a Puritan

2. Puritan History • The history of Puritans began in England during the 1500s. • The word Puritan comes from the terms “purity” or “pure.”

3. Puritan History • Christians in England felt that the Church was corrupt and they separated from Roman rule, creating their own English Church. • Some Separatists (Christians that separated) doubted the beliefs of this English Christian Church and wanted to purify the Church…they became known as…………. Puritans. • Without freedom as they saw it, the left England and went to Holland, and eventually the future USA.

4. Puritan Beliefs • The Puritans believed in order, with God being the supreme ruler. • They believed that bad people were punished and good people were rewarded. • While God is powerful, men and women are weak and full of sin. • They believed the Bible to be real and historically accurate.

5. Puritan Beliefs • They believed in Predestination--God predetermines all events. He knows who will go to heaven and who will go to hell. • That means that whatever you did in your life did not affect whether or not you got into Heaven. That decision was made long before you were born.

6. Puritan Beliefs • They valued education. They thought schools were needed to oppose Satan. • Hard work was a religious duty. • Because Eve was the first to sin, women were considered weaker than men.

7. How They Dressed • You were not supposed to dress beyond your income. • Women wore dark-colored, plain dresses with simple white caps.

8. How They Dressed • Men had their hair cut short and wore stiff, high hats. They wore doublets, jerkins, and dark-colored breeches. • Both the men and the women wore white collars.

9. Puritan Entertainment • Puritans were very strict. Their entertainment reflects that characteristic. • Puritans enjoyed prayer, reading from the Bible, and the occasional execution. • Barn raising, agricultural events, Church, and anything else that contributed to daily life provided ample opportunity for socializing. • Puritans did not believe in dancing, parties, or any other physical entertainment that may lead to the Devil.

10. Witchcraft • Every evil deed was done with or by the devil. • In 1688, a laundry woman was accused of “bewitching” by four young girls. They claimed evil things were happening for attention. • To keep the lies a secret, the girls lapsed into convulsions and claimed other difficult to disprove things—visions, sensations, etc.

11. Witchcraft • By 1690, fifty people were in prison, two hundred in jail, and twenty executed, including 2 dogs.