The Puritans
In the beginning of this country we know as the United States of America, there were
Puritans, Congregationalists, Quakers, Shakers, and many other religions that had
immigrated here. Many of these people emigrated in hopes for a free and more happy life,
away from religious oppression and other hardships. As a group, the Puritans believed
they were people chosen by God to serve as a model to others, and believed every nation
existed of a covenant with God -if they promised to abide by His laws, He would treat
them well. Because of this belief, they wanted to create a "city set on a hill" that others
would admire. They also took it upon themselves to punish every sin committed in their
community. Puritanism had a great impact on the development of the American colonies
which also led to the development of this great country, the U.S.
Even here, in this "land of opportunities", religions were still being forced on people with
threats of physical punishments. The Puritans enforced their beliefs rather firmly as did a
group of their radicals, the Separatists. The Puritans and the Separatists relied on the
"Holy Bible" heavily to guide them down the right path in their entire lives, not just for
religious purposes. The Puritans followed the idea of Predestination, which is the belief
that God has chosen those whom he intends to save. The Covenant of Grace was referred
to by some in terms of a promise between God and humans where God drew the soul to
salvation. Strictly speaking, there was nothing anyone could do to receive the Covenant
of Grace. If you were destined to be saved, God would bestow you with the faith and
merit and would fulfill the covenant. But this could be applied in a variety of ways, and
New England ministers started suggesting the need to prepare themselves in order to help
the operation of God's "saving grace" when or if it should come. Though they were told
by their preachers that...