The puritans thought of the bible as the true law of God that gave guidelines for church government. They emphasized Bible reading, prayer, and preaching in worship services. They wanted more personal prayers and less recited prayers. The puritans stressed grace, devotion, prayer, and self-examination to reach religious virtue. This deep sense of devotion to God would be what helped them through many hardships in New England. These hardships include, the opposition to the political and religious policies if the Stuart rulers, the refusal by King James to bring reforms the puritans sought. Another hardship faced by the puritans was creating a parliament to overthrow the king and place Cornwell in power. There were many other areas in which the Puritans faced problems , these areas include division from the roman church, and its traditions, progress toward a more Reformed Protestant church and religion, easier ways to worship, more stress put on reading the literal Bible!
             , and preaching, celebration of the Sabbath, and an emphasis on the simpler qualities of life. Nonconformity to the new government laws was met with harsh punishment including, fines, jail time, or even prison time. The puritans left behind a legacy that impacted America in many ways. They impacted political and social institutions in the American colonies. Their belief in government by contract from the governed influenced the development of American democratic principles. The had a major influence on the American educational systems, they created the colleges Harvard and Yale. The puritans impacted prohibition, the outlaw of the sale or manufacture of alcohol. Society is another area that the puritans impacted, their belief in hard work, moral attitudes, and values characterize modern movements for a rapid social change that requires hard work and discipline. They also founded Plymouth colony in what is now Massachusetts. The Puritans
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