Esssay

Shaffer 1 Ben Shaffer Hellams U.S.
History AP 17 Wednesday, 2011 Puritan Lifestyle Affects New England Colonies During the early to mid 1600s in the New World, colonization was beginning to grow exponentially. Areas in New England were many settled by Puritan groups who had escaped Europe from religious persecution and intolerance whereas other colonies were settled for agricultural and economic boosts. The Puritans strong work ethic and religious values helped to form the political, economic, and social standard of New England from 1630 to 1660. From the focus on Biblical laws to the attention to work ethic, the Puritans ideals and values strongly developed the New England colonies. The New England Puritans dedication to religion formed a God-fearing government that ruled the settlements. Town Map, Colonial New England, shows that the church and the Town Hall were both in the center of the village, even only a few houses apart. The map shows the emphasis put on the church as every house had surrounded the place of worship. One of the many reasons for leaving their European homes was the hope of escaping from the monarchy and the church. The Church of England had been taken over by a hierarchy and thus the Puritans created a government without any monarchy. John Cotton wrote: Let all the world learn to give mortal men no greater power than they are content they shall use unless they be better taught of God in his Limitation of Government in 1655. The Puritans values stated that Gods law was the only law, and therefore the local governments ruled with that notion.
Shaffer 2 However, the ideas and values did not just shape the political aspect of New England. A strong work ethic erected by the Puritans established a strong and flourishing economy for New England within just a few decades, although religion was still more important. The New England cities and towns began expanding rapidly with many small businessmen and entrepreneurs. Cobblers, bakers, and blacksmiths filled the streets. Many port cities included prominent ship builders that exported ships back to England for sale. Although the strong work ethic set up a strong economy, the Puritan values held to religion weakened the market, in the beginning. Work on the Sabbath was not allowed, slowing business and shortening profits. John Higginson wrote in The Cause of God and His People in New England that it should be known that trade was not the founder of New England, but that of religion. However, over years of immigration to this area, religion began to loose its hold over the economy. John Higginson also wrote, let merchants and such as are increasing Cent per Cent when referring to the ever increasing economy and the diminishing Puritan religion. As the strong work ethic held by the New England residents created a large, prosperous economy, the values held by the Puritans also created a religious-based society. The social life was strongly based off of religious values and was clearly seen throughout the daily lives of the New England Puritans. A Modell of Christian Charity, by John Winthrop described what a Christian should do to show God to others. Winthrop stated, The eies of all people are upon us, and For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The statements propelled the New England people to live a life of good and charity to be a model for God. A statement about education in New England declared: One of the next things we longed for, and looked after was to advance
Shaffer 3 Learning dreading to leave an illiterate Ministery to the Churches. The values held by the New England Puritans drove the creation of schools to educate an illiterate generation in the hopes of helping with the ministry of the church. John Cotton also wrote it is good for the women to acknowledge all power and authority to the husband. This idea was a reference to the Bible at Colossians 3:18, which states Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord (English Standard Version Bible.) John Cotton, along with many others, believed that Gods Word was the rule and way of life. The Puritans attempted to live a life according to the guidance of the Bible. The Puritan morals developed a cautious, yet well behaved population within the New England colonies. The Puritan ideals and values strongly influenced the political, economic, and social developments of New England from the 1630s to the 1660s. Through the Bible and hatred of the monarchy in Europe, the ideas established a God-fearing government with much church involvement. The notoriously strong work ethic of the Puritans established a plethora of businesses and produced an economy that began to overpower the original Puritan beliefs. And finally, the Bible and the New Englanders morals structured a strict and model society for the Puritan residents. The Puritan values helped to outline every part of life in the New England Colonies.

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Shaffer 1 Ben Shaffer Hellams U.S.

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