From Pilgrims to Puritans J Hanlon English III

From Pilgrims to Puritans J. Hanlon English III

Pilgrims n Pilgrims sailed from England to America on the Mayflower in 1620. n n 102 Passenger set out for a new life. They were often known as Separatists and their main goal was to separate themselves from the church of England. They wanted religious freedom.

The Pilgrims Voyage n n "The dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible. . . their ends were good & honorable. . . and therefore they might expect the blessing of God. “ n -William Bradford n The 66 -day voyage was frequently stormy. At one point, a main beam cracked and had to be repaired using a large iron screw. Supplies were low and so were sanitary conditions. Their arrival on land was not much easier and many died. They paid dearly for their desire of religious freedom.

The Puritans n n n The Puritans came to America much like the Pilgrims and around the same time period. The Puritans were not Separatists and did not want to break all ties with the church of England. They were Dissenters- or people who wanted to become separated from the church because they disagreed with how it was run. They wanted to purify it.

Puritans n The Puritans wanted to create a city on a hill. Here they would create a government run by the church and based on religious values. They would create a “Pure” society. n This was their duty to god.

Puritan Treatment of “Others” n As much as the Puritans wanted to be godly they were not tolerant of people who did not follow their ways of life. n They tried to “Christianize” the Native Americans and this did not go over well. The Puritans began to push non- Christian Native Americans out of their land.

Roger Williams n Roger Williams was a Puritan that stood up for religious freedom and stood up for the Native Americans and argued that they were the rightful owners of the land. n n He was brought before the Puritan church and was exiled from town. Founded Rhode Island called it a safe haven for all people.

Anne Hutchinson n n Anne Hutchinson like Williams was an independent thinker. She had private meetings in her home to talk about religion. She felt people didn’t need to go to church; that a relationship with God is something that was inside you. She was exiled and tried for heresy.

Rhode Island n n The King Charles I of England granted a new charter to Rhode Island. They were a new entity and would hold these principles. n They separated church & state. The area would be ruled by a governing body and not by a church. This granted religious freedom to all the inhabitants.

Mary Dyer n Mary Dyer tried to leave the Puritan society. She was persecuted and hung for her religious beliefs.

Conflicts Between The Natives & The Settlers n n n Land was always an issue between the Native Americans and the Puritan settlers. The settlers felt superior and felt that their religious values were the only way. The Natives felt that their way of life was being destroyed.

Southern Settlers n n While the Puritans created their “city on the hill” in the North, man colonists in the South were from diverse backgrounds from royalty to convicted felons. Indentured Servitude was a system where people would contract themselves and their work for a number of years in exchange for passage to America. This was a way to get to the new world without having to find money first.