The Puritans lived in England, but they were not happy with the way the Church of England was run. They wanted to worship in their own way, so they decided to leave England and start a new life in America.
Mayflower
The journey to America was long and difficult. The Puritans had to travel on a big ship called the Mayflower. It took them many weeks to cross the ocean. When they finally arrived in America, they were very happy. They called their new home Plymouth.
Life in Plymouth was not easy. The Puritans had to work hard to build their houses and grow their food. They had to learn how to survive in a new and unfamiliar land. But they were determined to make a better life for themselves and their families.
Religious Freedom
One of the most important things to the Puritans was their religion. They believed in God and wanted to worship Him in their own way. They built a church in Plymouth where they could pray and sing hymns. They also had strict rules about how people should behave. They believed in being honest and hardworking.
Intolerance
Puritans believed that their entire lives should focus on worshiping god. They thought that anything else was a distraction and sinful. Puritans thought that dancing, drinking, smoking, and gambling were all sinful and should be avoided. Women did not have a voice in this community. All the preachers and leaders were men. This intolerance of women eventually led to the Salem Witch Trials.
They did not celebrate Christmas the way we do. Puritan leaders thought the parties and fun of Christmas were sinful so they had to spend the whole day fasting and praying.
Democracy in Town Halls
The Puritans had a strong sense of community. They helped each other and worked together to make Plymouth a good place to live. They also had a system of government called a town meeting. In the town meeting, everyone had a chance to speak and make decisions for the community.
Over time, more and more people came to America for religious freedom. They settled in different parts of the country and started their own communities. The Puritans had a big influence on the development of America. They believed in hard work, education, and the importance of community. Puritans also believed in reading the Bible themselves. This meant that being able to read was a value they cherished. This value was passed onto other colonists as well.
Conclusion
Today, we can still see the influence of the Puritans in our country. We have freedom of religion, which means that everyone can worship in their own way. We also have a system of government that allows everyone to have a voice and make decisions together.