English III--Reasons for the Decline of Puritanism in the Colonies. Due January 26, 2023. Posted January 17, 2023.
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| A Rainy Day in Boston, Childe Hassam (1885) |
1. The Salem Witch Trials caused a lack of confidence in Puritan authority.
2. Younger generations of very religious people often tend to be not as strictly religious as their parents.
3. There were opportunities for westward expansion and new land. The Puritans began to spread out. The Puritan communities became less cohesive or “tight.”
3. There were opportunities for westward expansion and new land. The Puritans began to spread out. The Puritan communities became less cohesive or “tight.”
4. After the initial difficulties of beginning a colony, life for the Puritans became more settled. Puritans were more concerned with “worldly” pursuits, such as making money and becoming successful in business.
5. As new ideas about the “rights” of human beings spread, Puritans began to resent the powerful hold that the Puritan ministers had over them.
6. New ideas from the Scientific Revolution made people less reliant on the Bible for answers.
7. More diversity within the colonies (Quakers, Anglicans, Baptists) had the effect of decreasing the power of the Puritans.
8. The Great Awakening fostered a more individual relationship with God, decreasing the need for the guidance of Puritan religious leaders.