Puritan society was basically one in which religion,
politics, and domestic affairs, were all guided by one basic belief: that God was an
ever wrathful and judging God, that He had "selected" (or predestined) individuals to go
to Heaven, and though no one truly knew if they were saved or damned, they lived as
though their every action was indicative of their fate. In short, these people lived in
fear of eternal judgement. As a result, politics and religion were nearly one and the
same. The ministers and governors were revered for their sense of "holiness" and
therefore made the rules and consequences, and acted as judges for citizen behavior.
Citizens meanwhile, did their best to live lowly, humble, and hardworking lives, not
drawing attention to themselves negatively or
positively.
Some texts which help portray the above ideas
in better detail include almost anything by Nathanial Hawthorne, but especially
The Scarlet Letter, William Bradford's Of Plymouth
Plantation, and Jonathan Edwards' Sinners in the Hands of an Angry
God. Arthur Miller's "The Crucible," though not specifically about Puritans,
also provides a similar picture of life, religion, and politics, coming together in an
extremist way.
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