The Puritans were a group that sought religious persecutions from England by immigrating to the new world of America. They were extreme Protestants in the Church of England that were trying to purify the national church of the England. They had to completely start over when they came to America, they had to start living by a completely new lifestyle compared to the ones they lived in England. They made their new society strictly religious, for examples they were required to read the bible to show religious discipline and how deeply devoted to god they were. If they were not following the rules of the church like by not going to church on the Sabbath or not reading the bible they were consider against god and someone who worships the devil. This was especially true in Salem, Massachusetts, where the infamous witchcraft trials occurred written about in the popular book The Crucible. This is where many people were excused of using witchcraft and working with the devil. Salem is also known for the famous House of the seven Gables written about in the book House of the Seven Gables.
The Puritans were not just know for the witch trials they were also know for many things still present in even today’s society. They set up the first school formal school for education of the colonies. They also set up the first successful government in the New World. They were the first poets of the American colonies, they wrote poetry to examine their Christian lives. Religion was a huge part of their lives and that was what their government and society was based around. This is not exactly how our government runs now but there are still the extremist religious groups still around, they are like the puritan groups today. They believe so deeply in their religion that if you don’t believe too you are evil. Many terrorist groups are like that, I’m not saying the puritans were terrorist I’m saying that they share the same narrow mindset as them. They believe there is only one right thing and its theirs, an example of the puritans was their violence with the witch trials excusing others of being against god. They targeted people who had different beliefs and practiced different lifestyles. The terrorist actions today are more violent, disruptive and wide spread which is because the technology we have today. Terrorist today also target larger groups today but the message is still the same of nonexceptance of other people. Others will probably disagree with me but I believe puritans are like present day terrorist they share the same mindset and deep beliefs as the puritans.
I like how you made the connection of the Puritans to terrorists and other religious groups, it was a god connection and is a really good connection, as both were extreme in what they believe in.
ReplyDelete