Puritans
In the beginning of this country we know as the United States of America, there werePuritans, Congregationalists, Quakers, Shakers, and many other religions that hadimmigrated 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 believedthey were people chosen by God to serve as a model to others, and believed every nationexisted of a covenant with God -if they promised to abide by His laws, He would treatthem well. Because of this belief, they wanted to create a "city set on a hill" that otherswould admire. They also took it upon themselves to punish every sin committed in theircommunity. Puritanism had a great impact on the development of the American colonieswhich 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 withthreats of physical punishments. The Puritans enforced their beliefs rather firmly as did agroup 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
Accused witches were forced to use their power to heal the pain of thosewho claimed to be suffering from the witch attacks. These trends were formedbecause of distinct political, religious, and social and economic factors which remainedunchanged through the coming centuries. Religion was intertwined to such an extent that when people like Roger Williamsand Anne Hutchinson began to preach beliefs opposite to those of the Puritan faith, theywere removed from the colony. Therefore, they fell back on tradition and experience. For example, when someone claimed tohave been attacked by the accused, was this direct evidence of the guilt of the accused orcould the devil or some other witch use someone's shape without permission? Aboutthese and other aspects, the Bible gives no instruction. John Winthrop was elected the first governor shortly thereafter. Both mother and father were required to make sure allof their children and apprentices learned to read, so they could see for themselves whatopportunities for salvation were given to humans by God in the Bible, and what sins Heforbade. They had beentrying to break away from England, where their religion was increasingly prohibited. Though they were toldby their preachers that human effort meant nothing in the scale of eternity, theysometimes drew the opposite conclusions from their persistence of "preparation" Even thehistory of New England theology had a tendency that lasted a century and a half after itwas founded. The Puritans were caught in a constant struggle to please God in every way, hoping fortheir soul to be saved and to be forgiven for all evils committed. Socially and economically, the Puritans ofMassachusetts Bay organized themselves to stress the idea of self-government. Because the rich also had the resources to travel and live away from home,they could and did escape to New York, and were even encouraged to do so by someauthorities. The principle investigating judge, John Hawthorne, showedextreme bias. The New England puritans and their witch problem has been a favorite of the historians.
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