Puritanism facts for kids
The Puritans were a group of English-speaking Protestants who lived in the 16th and 17th centuries. They believed the English Reformation had not gone far enough. They also disagreed with some practices of the Church of England.
In 1534, King Henry VIII separated from the Roman Catholic Church. He then created the Protestant Church of England. This church lasted until 1553. Then, Queen Mary made the church Roman Catholic again. But in 1558, Elizabeth I of England became Queen. She was a Protestant, which made many people happy. However, some thought the Church of England still seemed too much like Catholicism.
A Puritan was someone who tried to live a very pure life. They did this through their worship and their beliefs. The Puritan way of life and their ideas were called Puritanism. The most important parts of Puritanism were being very religious, dressing simply, and living a modest life.
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What Puritans Believed
The Puritans shared some beliefs with Calvinists and Scottish Presbyterians. All these groups deeply respected the Bible. They also tried to be very moral and pure in their actions.
A key Puritan belief was that everyone needed to understand the Bible for themselves. (Many Protestants share this idea.) Puritans tried to live by the Bible's teachings in every way. They aimed to be morally pure in even the smallest things. They also wanted to be spiritually pure. They thought that people existed to bring glory to God. They believed a person's most important job was to do what God wanted. They felt that by doing God's will, people would find happiness later on.
Changes They Made to Churches
Because they disagreed with the Church of England, Puritans made reforms, or changes, in their own churches and communities. Some other Reformed churches in Europe made similar changes. The Puritans made preaching very important. They used as little ritual and decoration as possible in their churches.
Often, sermons talked about Hell. One famous sermon is "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". It was given by Jonathan Edwards, an important Puritan preacher. The sermon talks about God being angry with people for sinful behavior. It describes God punishing them by sending them to the fires of Hell.
Moving to New England
Many Puritan groups decided to emigrate to New England. They wanted to start their own societies there. This way, they could practice Puritanism exactly as they wished. Puritan beliefs and writings became very important in New England. One important book was "The Pilgrim's Progress" by the Puritan writer John Bunyan.
Separatists
Some Puritans left the Church of England completely. These people were known as Separatists. Many of the Plymouth Colony Pilgrims were Separatists. They established the first successful colony in New England. Some of these churches were later called Congregationalists.
Images for kids
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Interior of the Old Ship Church, a Puritan meetinghouse in Hingham, Massachusetts. Puritans were Calvinists, so their churches were unadorned and plain.
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A picture from 1647 showing a Catalogue of Sects.
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The Snake in the Grass or Satan Transform'd to an Angel of Light, a title page from around 1660.
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Pilgrims Going to Church by George Henry Boughton (1867).
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Cotton Mather, an important Puritan minister from New England.
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A public notice from 1659 in Boston saying Christmas was against the law.
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Quaker Mary Dyer being led to her execution in Boston Common, June 1, 1660.
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A sculpture called The Puritan by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.
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Oliver Cromwell, who was the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
