by Angela Donlon-Gatchell

Created on: September 20, 2008

The "godly" is what they called themselves, Puritans is what we have called them over the years. The Puritans were the extreme Protestants of the Church of England. Their goal, simply put, was to completely rid or purify themselves from the Catholic influence.They wanted a pure form of religion and the King of England was not providing that for them.

The term "puritan" was first used to describe ta group of heretics in the third century and then was revived in the 1560's to describe the group of people who wanted to reform the Catholic Church and her politics.

The Puritans used New England as their base camp in order to perpetuate "their" Christian society away from the eyes of England and the hand of the King. Because of their reformist goal, New England was their escape from persecution from the Church of England. The Puritans based their society on the New Testament and what was conceived during the early 17th century as lawful (as evidenced in the witch-trials).

The Puritans of the New World focused on education as well. They formed the free schooling for children of all ages and established the first American College; Harvard in Cambridge. In today's educational system mathematics and literature are held in high regard, however, to the Puritans scientific thought outweighed math and writing.

Thanks to the Puritan community, for the first time children books were being written and published. With the focus on intellect, the Puritans banned drama, religious music, and of course, erotic poetry. Their convictions were strong and anyone of disagreement was seen as sinful.

More than Protestant reform was in mind for the Puritans. They also had an eye for land and since the King of England had no jurisdiction in the New World, the Puritans too the land from the sinners and savages.

Because history is written by the victors or the winners, history is tainted and slanted in many ways. The Puritans were always painted as saints and righteous. In their minds, they probably were. In order for them to own land they had to take it, by any means possible. They have been documented as lying and stealing and known for their brutal persuasions in order to acquire what they needed, not unlike other historical figures who discovered new worlds. Apparently the ends justified the means according to their interpretations of the scriptures and the laws they formed as a new society.

The Puritans of New England seeked a life away from the authority of the King of England and in a sense bestowed upon their new "friends" the same persecution in the name of a pure theocracy.

Learn more about this author, Angela Donlon-Gatchell.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.