Directions--- Read the article and answer the questions.

PURITANS

The colonized the northeastern part of America, including the colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, and in the 16th and 17th centuries.

BELIEFS The Puritans did not agree with the practices of the Church of England. They differed from the Separatists because they wanted to stay with the Church of England, but desired change in some church practices. They wanted the church to be more “pure.” Many of the Pilgrims were Separatists who wanted to leave the Church of England and create their own church. Puritans wanted their reformed church to differ widely from the Catholic Church. Puritans were Christians who followed the teachings of . They believed faith, not works, was the key to salvation. One of the Puritans’ most important beliefs was that every person needed to understand the Bible in his or her own way. They sought to be spiritually pure in every way. The Puritans believed in education. They founded Harvard in 1636, the first university in the United States .

CHURCH Puritan church services were simple and focused on the Bible. The services were very long. Sermons could last two hours and prayer may last over an hour. Jonathan Edwards gave a famous sermon, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” that discussed God’s anger at people for sinful behavior. Churches were simple with few decorations. Musical instruments were not allowed to be played inside the church. If residents did not attend church, they were usually fined or put into the stocks as punishment.

AMERICA Puritans moved to America to escape religious persecution. English subjects were expected to be members of the Church of England. People who practiced Puritanism had a difficult time in England since it was illegal. Things became especially hard for Puritans in England around the 1620s and 1630s because the Catholic archbishop decided it was time to eliminate Puritanism in England.

OTHER COLONIES There were very strict rules and regulations regarding the Puritan church in the . If people disagreed with the rules, they were usually forced to leave the colony. Some of these people formed new colonies to the south, including Rhode Island and Connecticut.

RHODE ISLAND formed his own settlement called Providence in 1636. He was a Puritan leader who believed the government and church should be separate. He felt people deserved more religious freedom. He was banished from Massachusetts for these beliefs. , another Puritan leader, said Massachusetts’ Puritan leaders were focusing on “works” for salvation instead of “faith.” Like Williams, she was banished from Massachusetts. In 1638, she established the settlement of Portsmouth. In 1644, Portsmouth, Providence, and two other settlements merged to form the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

CONNECTICUT In 1636, Thomas Hooker, a prominent Puritan leader in Massachusetts, formed the colony of Connecticut. He and leaders in Massachusetts disagreed who should have the right to vote. Connecticut was the first colony to have a written constitution with a formal government.

GREAT MIGRATION Over the next ten years around 20,000 Puritans moved from England to New England. This time is sometimes referred to as the Great Migration. The majority of the immigrants were families, so they continued to have children. This caused the population to increase quickly.

MASSACHUSETTS BAY Eleven ships led by arrived in New England carrying more than 700 Puritan settlers in 1630. They settled near the modern-day city of Boston and established the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Winthrop served as the governor and wanted it to be a “city on a hill” (a passage from the Bible). He wanted to show Europe that a Protestant society could flourish.

TODAY Strict Puritanism died out in the mid-1700s, but many Puritan ways and beliefs became a permanent part of American culture.

PURITANS

IDENTIFY: Use the word bank to identify each term described.

Massachusetts Bay Williams Calvin Separatists Hutchinson Church of England Hooker Rhode Island Great Migration Boston music Winthrop

1. Led the Puritans to America in 1630: ______2. Puritans followed the teachings of this man: ______3. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was set up near this present-day city: ______4. Formed Providence after being kicked out of Massachusetts: ______5. Puritans did not want to separate from this, but just wanted to make it more pure: ______6. Established Portsmouth after disagreeing with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts: ______7. Colony established by Winthrop and the Puritans: ______8. Providence, Portsmouth, and two other colonies joined to make this colony: ______9. Wanted to separate from the Church of England; the Pilgrims were an example: ______10. Established the colony of Connecticut: ______11. Not allowed during Puritan church services: ______12. Mass movement: ______

MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the best answer.

13. What is the main reason the colonies of Rhode Island and Connecticut were established? A. Their founders were kicked out of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. B. Other non-Puritan groups moved to New England. C. People from other European nations, such as the Netherlands and France wanted to create their own colonies. D. Native Americans established their own colonies to separate from the Europeans. 14. Which of the following was NOT a colony established by Puritans? A. Massachusetts Bay B. Connecticut C. Rhode Island D. New York 15. Which of the following best describes the Puritan church? A. They wanted to create their own church separate from the Church of England. B. Services were short and attendance was not required by citizens. C. Services were long and churches were very simple in décor. D. Services focused on music and praise. 16. What is the main reason Puritans moved to America? A. To establish a new church. B. To establish a pure church. C. To escape religious persecution. D. To compete with Pilgrims already in America. 17. What is the main reason the Puritan population increased so quickly? A. Many Puritans immigrated to America. B. Most of the immigrants were families who continued to have children. C. The Puritan church supported families. D. The Puritans believed in large families.