The Puritan Period

1. The Puritan Period 1620-1750

2. Historical Background • Native Americans • Folklorists have recorded many Native American songs, legends, and myths. • They greeted the earliest European settlers as friends. • Many Europeans would not have survived the winter if not for the Native Americans • Widely dispersed Native Americans differed in language, government, social organization, customs, housing, and methods of survival.

3. Historical Background • Puritans • They sailed from England on the Mayflower in 1620 • Chose to withdraw from the church of England because they thought it was corrupt • They gave up hope of purifying the church from within • Other separatists established the Mass. Bay Colony. • Wanted to establish “a city upon a hill” community guided in aspects of the Bible

4. Historical Background • Believed humans exist for the glory of God and the Bible is the sole expression of His will. Also believed in Predestination. • Colonists Land in Massachusetts • 1620- Mayflower lands in Plymouth, Massachusetts. • Small colony started in Plymouth. Massachusetts Bay colony soon took over. • Colonists threatened by natives, suffer from hunger, and got sick from disease. • Difficulty hunting, farming, and building houses.

5. Historical Background • Salem Witch Trials • March through September, 1692 • Began when two girls acted in an odd behavior. • Doctors and ministers assumed they were bewitched • Court tried prisoners • 20 deaths, 50 confessions, 100 imprisoned, 200 accusations • Clergy complain, stopped executions

6. Types of Literature • Histories- describes historical events. Personal narratives show events from a certain perspective and describe the personal experience. • Journals- personal record of events, feelings, and observations. More emphasis on feelings. Updated daily • Diaries- personal record of events, feelings, and observations. More emphasis on events. Updated daily

7. Types of Literature (continued) • Poetry- emotional language, divided in lines and stanzas, rhythmical patterns, imagery, figurative language, rhyme • Sermons- speech given from pulpit in house of worship. Public speech, persuasive, emotionally pleasing, deal with needs and concerns of audience.

8. Was born in East Windsor, Conn. Where he grew up Was an extremely intelligent child and man Began preaching career in 1727 as an assistant to his grandfather. Took over when he died A leader of the Great Awakening Preached mostly on hell and sin Best known for “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

9. Born in England Arrived in Mass. When she was 18 with her husband Had 8 children and faced many hardships Spent spare time writing which was considered unladylike Wrote for herself, not for publication but brother-in-law arranged for publication of a collection of her poems Considered to be first collection of original poetry written in U.S. Most famous work was “To My Dear Loving Husband” Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672)

10. Born in Yorkshire England Helped lead pilgrims to Mass Fled from persecution in England to Holland and then to America Believed church of England to be corrupt and separated from it After death of colonies first leader Pilgrims elected him Was reelected 30 times Wrote “Of Plymouth Plantation” and published in 1856 William Bradford (1590-1657)

11. Born in England Was an adventurer, poet, and mapmaker Very famous explorer in England Helped lead first successful English colony in America and founded Jamestown President of Jamestown from 1608-09 Returned to England and made 2 more voyages to America John Smith (1580-1631)

12. John Smith (continued) • First voyage back was captured by pirates and escaped back to England and 2nd voyage was unable to make it because of gusting winds • Wrote many works including “The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles” in 1624

13. Edward Taylor (1642-1729) • Worked as a teacher in England where he was born • Fled from persecution to America and arrived in Boston in 1668 • Entered Harvard and graduated in 1671 • Was a minister and physician in Westfield, Mass • 5/8 children died and wife died young and remarried and had more children • Thought of poems as personal worship and only allowed 2 stanzas to be published. Decedent gave writings to Yale after death • Famous for “The Poetical works of Edward Taylor” and “Huswifery”

14. Cotton Mather (1663-1728) • Born in Boston February 12 • Father and grandfather were religious leaders • Smart man and graduated Harvard at 15 • Joined father’s church staff where he worked until his death • Wrote 450 published work, mostly sermons • Gained fame and criticism for support of smallpox inoculation • Some accused him of prompting a hysteria over witches that caused execution of 19 people but most don’t believe this.

15. Clothing • Clothing was very plain and simple. • The colors were very dull. • The people of the Puritan period wore layered clothing. This helped them attempt to survive cold winters, but made hot summers unbearable.

16. Religion • Religion was the basis of Puritan life. • Without religious ties, the new colonies would have never been developed, for the reason of leaving the Church of England was to create a pure religion. • The Puritan people felt they accomplished this by moving to the new world and establishing a new church that was guided by the Bible.

17. Salem Witch Trials • People around the town started blaming others of witchcraft. • Because of this aroused suspicion, many people were thrown in jail and even executed. • Hundreds were sentenced within three months.

18. Enemies • When the Puritans arrived at the new world, the Native Americans accepted them as friends. • The Native Americans helped early settlers in areas such as agriculture, and many Puritans would not have survived the harsh winters without the help of the Natives. • Once the Puritans began to settle in, disputes over land broke out like wild fire. • The Native Americans wanted too keep their land, while the Puritans wanted to colonize it.

19. Food • The Puritans ate only what they could grow and gather, and they had a hard time hunting at first. • The Native Americans taught them farming techniques, and the Puritans began to raise animals for food. • They ate simple foods, and were not concerned by whether it was fancy.

20. Literature • Authors wrote books that focused mainly on religion. • They wrote about their beliefs in God and told stories of sins. • They used all types of literature, from poems to sermon speeches.

21. Colony • Colonies were normally small. • The people of the town were inexperienced with building log cabins, so they made their houses out of mud. • They lacked strong workers.

22. Emphasis on Purification • Puritans left Church of England; thought it was corrupt • Came to new world to create a pure church and purify themselves • Leaving Church of England would ensure themselves a pure religion • Wanted to create a “city upon a hill” in which they would be guided by the bible. • Is shown through many of their literary works in attempt to become pure people

23. Being Plain • Wrote in a clear style, for they thought a clever, ornate style would be vain • Puritans believed only God should be thought as beautiful, nothing else. • Felt that God should have all the praise and glory and that people should not • People wore plain, dull clothing in order to achieve this effect • If everything was dull, people would think of God as Almighty and direct their attention to only him

24. Religion • Dominated lives of puritans; shown through their writings • Writings provided spiritual instruction • Regarded fiction and drama writings as sinful. • They felt that poetry was an expression of spiritual enlightenment; wrote poetry often • Writers focused on religious message in writings

25. Original Sin • Believed the devil in the form of a snake tempted Eve who tempted Adam to eat an apple, causing people to sin • Many writings written in this time period told stories of sinful temptation on humans.

26. Hard Work Needed in Life • Puritans came from England, which was already developed and laid out. • Moved to America which forced them to start over and create a new life. • Many died from harsh winters and troubles of starting over • Writers wrote about hardships and how hard work was the only way to prevail

27. Everyone’s Fate is in God’s Hands • Believed people lived by the word of God; God would give them mercy and a pleasant life. • God became angry when a person sinned • Guaranteed a pleasant eternal life if you were faithful and did not sin • Writers wrote about what would happen to sinners such as Jonathan Edwards

28. Music • Puritans did not listen to much music because they believed it drew them away from their inner spirituality. • When they listened to music, it usually had religious purposes. • Although the Puritans did not listen to music very often, they were not opposed to it.

29. Bibliography • Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: The American Experience. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2004. pages 4-12,70, 98,106, 535, R13. • Pointer, Richard W.. "Mather, Cotton". World Book Online. 8/20/08 <http://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/article?id=ar348985&st=cotton+mathe r>. • Zeichner, Oscar. "Salem Witch Trials." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. 2008. Grolier Online. 19 Aug. 2008 <http://gme.grolier.com/cgi- bin/article?assetid=0254970-0>. • Thomson, Robert Polk. "Colonial Life in America." The New Book of Knowledge®. 2008. Grolier Online. 19 Aug. 2008 <http://nbk.grolier.com/cgi- bin/article?assetid=a2006060-h>.

30. THE END!