Puritans influences on American culture?

Question

What impact did the Puritans had on the American culture? Can you give me some examples of how Puritanism has influenced current American culture?

Answer 1

The simple fact that religion is still playing a major part in American politics.  Also for many people the word 'religion' means Christianity and Christianity only.  Its a rather one sided view of the world.  Nowhere else in the Western world is evolution so widely attacked and refuted.  I don't know of any other country that teaches creationism in public schools.

Answer 2

Americans take less vacation days than Europeans. You can't buy a car or other products in some states because Puritans believe you shouldn't be buying of selling on the Lord's Day.

Answer 3

Terrific question!

In my view, the Puritan influence on American culture is too often overlooked and that's a shame because their influence is as much a part of this country's psyche today as it was back in the 1600s.

The three principle influences of the Puritans came from i) religion, and ii) work, and iii) education where religion was the dominant theme throughout work and education ... in fact, religion pretty much summed up the Puritan existence -and their doctrine of "predestination" keep all Puritans constantly working hard in "this life" so as to be "chosen" for the next (eternal) life.

An ironic fact of the Puritans settling in America comes from the principle reason they left England was over religious differences and the Puritans not agreeing to supporting the monarch from a religious point-of-view (the Church of England was beyond reform in the eyes of Puritans).  However, and herein is the irony, as soon as they settle into the colonies, they dictate that their religion will supersede everything and be called on to provide guidance as well as uniformity across the community.  

So, instead of "religious freedom" from a King or Queen, the Puritans simply obviate the monarch aspect from governance and, essentially, form their government based on the same (as England) discriminatory practices.

The Puritans (again, in my view) brought to the colonies an extreme myopia when it came to the power and influence of religion -with little to no room for exceptionality.  As such, from the beginning, they established Puritanism as the ruling class of people and anyone who fell outside those strict boundaries was essentially marginalized (I believe you can look around America in today [2008] and easily see the similarities).

Religious exclusiveness was their leading principle in the society they develop in America.

The Puritans were the ruling class and, as such, created the rules, regulations, and laws to keep themselves as the dominant class and anyone else was considered less than a citizen.

Puritans formed the first formal school in 1635, and it was called the Roxbury (near Boston) Latin School.  In 1638, the first printing press arrived.  In 1639, Harvard College was founded. By 1647 a Massachusetts law mandated that every town of 50 families or more support an elementary school and every town of 100 or more families support a grammar school where boys could learn latin in preparation for college (note: boys, not boys and girls; also note that the boys attending school were from the priveliged families).

By 1700, Boston was the second largest publishing center of the English Empire, and the Puritans were the first to write books for children ... as such, as others were "on the trail" (so to speak), expanding the colonies and doing the hard work of developing the land, the Puritans were advancing the colonies intellectually.

It is universally agreed that the Puritans did much to establish and maintain a presence on the initial colonies and the expansion of the colonies into the United States of America.  They established a healthy economy, a school system, and believed that the political system should be an efficient one.  Last but not least, the moral character of America was indeed shaped by the Puritans.

Today, it seems the Puritan frame-of mind can be found in America's economical, educational, legal, and political systems where the work ethic as well as a heightened moral fiber is generally praised and rewarded.

Answer 4

Hi Missy.

Winthrop and the puritans had an inadvertent and unintended influence that has become the very foundation of America as we know it.  Here's how it played out.  Winthrop brought to New England his congregation of followers who intended to build a "City on the Hill."  They were attempting to get back to the basics of their faith, believing that those back in England had lost their way and were corrupt in their faith.  They never intended to stay, but rather to return and take England by storm.  The problem arose when they arrived and found that they had to expand their borders to gain control (of their borders).  Those on the frontier were overcome with the lust of land and wealth.  Opportunities abound and they pushed further west.  With that movement, they themselves were more corrupt.  They found it necessary then to liberalize their beliefs to justify themselves.  Also with the push westward, they came to realize that they could own greater and greater tracts of land without having to be of aristocracy which was the norm back in England.  It also caused a vacuum of labor in the coastal cities which then drove up the cost for that labor.  As mentioned, in England, land owners were all of noble status and the masses were essentially just that.  There was no room for upward mobility and there was no promise made that one could change their station in life.  In the New World, those promises were and are VERY real.

So, to help sum this all up and answer your question.  How many different denominations are there and how many off shoots per denomination?  There are hundreds of different sects just within the Baptist church alone.  You don't have to be of noble status to acquire land and anyone can make the big time here. And the clincher then, is the overwhelming desire ( to the puritans it was duty driven: duty to God and King) to go out to the lesser peoples of the world and bestow upon them our brand of perfect government and religion. All, thanks to Winthrop and his puritan followers.

Answer 5

Education for all --

The Puritans desired education and enlightenment for everyone, especially the common people. They wanted people to be able to read and understand the Bible for themselves.