Unit 1: Puritanism

William Bradford“Of Plymouth Plantation”

The Puritan Philosophy

The Puritan Age

1620: Mayflower lands (W. Bradford) with 100 pilgrims

1630: The Great Migration to New England (Puritans)

1636: Harvard College founded

1690

Basic Timeline

1745The Great Awakening

1692: The Salem Witch Trials

Puritanism: a definition• As a religion it stems from Roman

CatholicCatholics Church of

England (Anglican) Puritan (to purify)

• As a way of life it is based on God and his teachings

• Puritans lived in a THEOCRACY– Church = State

» Elders» Ministers = government/law» Bible teachings

Puritan Views:• View of God

– All-powerful– All-knowing– Revengeful– Just/fair

• View of Man– Sinful– Unworthy of

salvation

•View of Nature- Used by God as a way to punish or reward man

Puritan Tenets (beliefs):1. The Bible is the inerrant (without

errors) word of God and an outline for living

2. Special people (good Puritans) have been chosen by God to carry out certain actions

3. Your eternal destiny is decided before you are born. How you live life hints to this destiny.

4. In all aspects of life, be pragmatic (practical) and avoid frivolous (unnecessary) activities.

5. “Work is necessary and good for you.”

Puritan reasons for writing:• Puritan literature is both PRAGMATIC

and THEOCRATIC• Reasons for writing are

– Loneliness– To describe the new land– For support from Europe– To explain action (esp. W. Bradford)– For religious purposes (esp. J. Edwards)

William Bradford & Of Plymouth Plantation

William Bradford: bio• Son of an

English farmer• Was the typical

first New England settler

• Extremely religious; joined a group of Puritans

• Fled from England to Holland and then to America because of religious persecution

• Reached Plymouth in 1620 aboard the Mayflower

• Wife either jumped or fell overboard and drowned

• 1st winter in America ½ the settlers died

• Became governor of Plymouth (re-elected 30+ times

Bio, cont.• Wrote Plymouth’s history (began in

1630 and ended in 1647)• 200 years later the manuscript was

published• Bradford was disappointed that

America fell short of its promise

• Of Plymouth Plantation describes– Puritan’s flight from England to Holland

to America– The trials of the 1st winter– The bloody Pequot War

“Of Their Voyage, and How They Passed the Sea; and of Their Safe Arrival to Cape Cod”

• Voyage was a mix of fair winds and fierce storms

• One of the main beams bowed and cracked ½ way through the journey

• Repaired the beam with a great iron screw (to raise it) and a post (to secure it)

• Again, pilgrims believed that God would be fair to them – “So they committed themselves to the

will of God and resolved to proceed” (59)

• God saves a good Puritan from drowning– John Howland was thrown into the sea

during a storm– “it pleased God that he caught hold of

the topsail halyards” (59)– John Howland “lived many years and

became a profitable member both in church and commonwealth” (his good life yielded a good fate)

• One person (besides the seaman) perished on the voyage, William Butten

• They first try to land @ Cape Cod• Then they decide to travel south

down the Hudson (meet with rough waters)

• Ultimately, they docked @ Cape Harbor

• They landed in winter with no friends to meet them & no place for them to go

• Bradford declares his trust in God to get them through – “What could now sustain them but the

Spirit of God and His Grace?” (61)

Book 2: “The Starving Time”• In 2 or 3 months’ time, ½ the ship’s

passengers died– Lack of proper housing – Infected with scurvy

• 6 or 7 Puritans were healthy enough to care for the others (chosen by God)

• The seamen were greedy and selfish, keeping food and drink for themselves even with the passengers so sick.

• The seamen began falling ill too• Nearly half of the seamen died

before they set sail again• The pilgrims were much more willing

to help each other in times of need and illness

• The seamen were more barbaric and self-centered. They cursed each other instead of caring for each other

“Indian Relations”• Samoset, an Indian that approached

the pilgrims, helped them become familiar with the land

• Squanto and the pilgrims set terms under which they would all live. These terms primarily favored the pilgrims. Squanto continued with the pilgrims as their interpreter and was “sent from God.” He aided the pilgrims until he died

“Of Plymouth Plantation”tasks

• Write a short response to video clip• Create a timeline of events for the excerpt.