Concetti Chiave
- In the 17th century, the Puritans, mainly from the emerging middle class, sought greater governmental participation, contrasting with the aristocratic landowners supporting the king.
- The Puritans enforced a strict, austere lifestyle, banning entertainment and regulating life according to religious doctrine.
- The Bible was central to Puritan life, influencing both personal and public spheres, merging church and state powers.
- Puritans believed in constant community surveillance to maintain godliness, viewing humanity as inherently sinful.
- Despite the end of Puritan dominance in 1660, their influence persisted in British and American societies.
The term “ In the 17th century the Puritans came to represent the new way of life: they were mainly from the emerging middle class of town tradesmen who wanted a larger share in the Government. The odd, conservation element was represented by the ex-feudal landowners who supported the king. This division between middle class and aristocracy was to culminate in the Civil war which saw for a short period, thr triumph of the Puritans.
Puritan lifestyle and beliefs
They imposed a very rigid, austere way of life: no pleasure, no amusement, the theatres were closed and acting forbidden (1642): everything – from personal life to workship, business, even recreation was regulated in the light of God’s demand. The Bible was the source of all rule. Church and State became one and the same power.
The This is how the American journalist Richard Lingeman described the mentality of the early settlers of New England: “Godly people, the Puritans believed, must live under the constant surveillance of their neighbors if they were to stay godly. They regarded humankind as incorrigibly sinful.”
Legacy of puritanism
Even if Puritans domination finished in 1660, it left a mark never to be completely extinguished in British and American society
Domande da interrogazione
- What was the main social division in 17th century England that led to the Civil War?
- How did the Puritans influence lifestyle and governance during their period of dominance?
- What lasting impact did Puritanism have on British and American society?
The main social division was between the emerging middle class of town tradesmen, represented by the Puritans, who sought a larger share in government, and the ex-feudal landowners who supported the king. This division culminated in the Civil War, leading to a temporary triumph of the Puritans.
The Puritans imposed a rigid and austere lifestyle, banning pleasures and amusements such as theatre. They regulated all aspects of life, including personal, business, and recreation, according to God's demands, with the Bible as the source of all rules. Church and State were unified under their governance.
Although Puritan domination ended in 1660, it left an enduring mark on British and American society, influencing cultural and social norms that persisted beyond their period of direct control.
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