PURITAN PERIOD

INTRODUCTION

THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA

EUROPE AT THE TIME OF COLUMBUS

At the time of Columbus discovery of America, EUROPE was in a state of WAR

The CRUSADES - brought about TRADE contacts with the EAST 13th Ct. the rise of the fierce MONGOLS in the East helped European ECONOMY- trade from the East came to the European continent through the BYZANTINE EMPIRE and then by sea to VENICE and GENOA.

Contacts with the ORIENT also improved European SCIENTIFIC and TECHNOLOGICAL knowledge (the MUSLIMS' knowledge of MATHEMATICS, ASTRONOMY and NAVIGATION was far superior to that of the Europeans then; the technological advances also came from CHINA, ex. the invention of the GUNPOWDER .

This put Europe on the path of TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION and superiority.

Beginning of the 14th century rise of the OTTOMAN TURKS ruling over a vast territory from WEST AFRICA to INDONESIA, including the Indian Ocean.

Spices and commodities could no longer be carried overland to CONSTANTINOPLE. Now trade ships had to sail to the RED SEA or the PERISAN GULF. From here, they went to Europe via the Mediterranean ports in AFRICA and ASIA MINOR. Oriental goods and spices became SCARCE and EXPENSIVE Something had to be done to deal with the demand for spices. Was it possible to reach the Orient through another route?

VOYAGES AND EXPLORATION

The Europeans by then had a general idea that the Earth was round. Several EXPEDITIONS were made to find an ALTERNATIVE SEAROUTE around Africa to the East. Prince HENRY OF PORTUGAL gathered sailors, astronomers, shipbuilders and mapmakers from all over Europe, developed smaller and stronger ships called the CARAVEL.

In 1497, VASCO DA GAMA (Portuguese) set out in the quest of spices and discovered the sea route to INDIA from Europe through the Cape of Good Hope.

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS - a native of GENOA, believed that he had touched the Oriental coast. In fact, he had discovered a new continent. Thus, Columbus discovered AMERICA on October 12, 1492.

Between 1492 and 1504 Columbus made 4 VOYAGES to the new continent
Until his death in 1506 Columbus continued to believe that he had reached Asia through an alternate route

It was AMERIGO VESPUCCI, an Italian working under the Spanish monarch, who cleared this misconception. Between 1497 and 1505, Amerigo visited the new continent four times, wrote a series of letters describing the NEW WORLD.

NATIVE AMERICANS

WILLIAM BRADFORD, governor of the Plymouth colony, declared in 1617:

"The unpeopled countries of America [are] devoid of all civil inhabitants, where there are only savage and brutish men, which range up and down, little otherwise than the wild beasts of the same." Bradford made this statement three years before the landing at Plymouth Rock

Much before the Europeans set foot in the new world, an entire civilization had existed in the Americas around 75,000,000 people who spoke 2,000 distinct languages great civilizations in about 1500 BC in the South American Continent, where environmental conditions were best suited

the OLMECS both a culture and religion the GULF OF MEXICO

the ZAPOTEC
the MAYANS

shared - CALENDAR SYSTEM

2 CALENDARS SOLAR (365 days), RITUAL (260 days)

TEOTIHUACAN modern day MEXICO CITY flourished in 150 BC, lasted for a millennium TEOTIHUACAN civilization built majestic PYRAMIDS, CARVED TEMPLES, CITIES, MARKET PLACE, IRRIGATION SYSTEM by 800 AD their capital was abandoned decline

the TOLTECS capital TULA ancient Mexico and Central America 12th ct. Tula razed to the ground the MAYANS contemporaries of the Olmecs by AD 300 had developed a remarkably advanced culture, which flourished till AD 900 TEMPLES, ASTRONOMY, SCRIPT, PEACEFUL PEOPLE

the AZTECS one of the greatest civilizations

1325 built the capital of TENOCHTITILAN urban way of life When HERNANDO CORTEZ came to the city in 1519 it was bigger than any European city of that time, more than 60,000 merchants, great MARKET PLACE, huge HOSPITAL (surgeons who were as advanced as their counterparts in Europe), TEMPLES, CLASS STRUCTURE (nobles, army officers, priests), developed a SCRIPT

NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS

Hunting and fishing were the chief activities + gathering plants, nuts and berries (growing season too short for agriculture) portable TEPEES COMMUNAL SHARING extended to LAND use EGALITARIAN values (without any written laws or jails, order and discipline was maintained, by way of ostracism). Though civilized, their LACK OF TECHNOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE - especially in the usage of weapons, a LACK OF UNITY between the various tribes, and DISEASES were the 3 main reasons for their inability to resist the European onslaught in the New World.

Initially, these tribes accepted the white foreigners in their midst, and helped them to adjust and learn about their new environment. Soon a bitter STRUGGLE ensued expeditions looking for GOLD and SILVER
In the NORTH - land grabbing and the control of FUR TRADE at the expense of the Native Americans

AMERICA WAS NOT DISCOVERED BUT CONQUERED

CHRONOLOGY OF THE CONQUEST:

1492 - 1504

COLUMBUS' 4 voyages to the New World. PONCE DE LEON discovers Mainland of Florida.

1513

1519 -21

CORTEZ conquers MEXICO (conquered the AZTECS, went on to destroy the MAYAN civilization)
PIZZARRO conquers PERU (against the INCAS) DE SOTO explores the US and discovers the Mississippi.

1532 -35

1539 -41

DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY

When Columbus sailed from Spain in search of a short route to the Indies and landed somewhere in the BAHAMAS islands, he thought that he had the authority and right to claim those lands for the Spanish monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand.

The Doctrine was a principle of the European Law of Nations, what we today would call International Law, and it REGULATED THE CONQUEST AND CIVILIZATION OF THE NEW WORLD and other territories occupied by non-European peoples, throughout the 15th, 16th, 17th, even into the 18th and 19th centuries.

Europeans believed that under their LAW OF NATIONS the discovery of lands occupied by what were then called heathens, infidels and savages gave rights of conquest and colonization to the discovering European Nation.
This Doctrine of Discovery has origins going back a thousand years into European history - the CRUSADES to the Middle East in the 11th and 12th centuries. The POPE - power to designate Christian kings and princes to raise armies and to go on Crusades, literally holy wars to re-conquer the holy lands from the infidel Muslims.

The Pope would issue a BULL, authorizing Christian princes to raise armies, to travel to the Middle East, and to acquire lands in the name of the Church. In exchange for this papal license the Christian monarch who would launch the crusade would get exclusive trading privileges and would also have the responsibility to convert the infidel Muslims in those territories to Christendom.

The basic theory of the Crusades was that if a people did not believe in the Christian god, they violated natural law, the law of nature. Consequently, if they refused to convert and admit Christian missionaries, war may be declared again them by the Pope and not by anyone else. In the 1400s, Europe begins its exploring and colonizing activities beyond the Mediterranean. PORTUGAL becomes the first European country to begin exploration of the west coast of AFRICA.

Conflict between PORTUGAL and SPAIN PAPAL BULLS - granting Portugal a monopoly over Africa Other European nations with colonizing and imperial interests must look elsewhere 1480'S CRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, a Genoese sailor, approached the Spanish Crown. Argument that the riches of the Middle East and the Indies of India, China, silk, trade, spices can be reached by a shorter sea route, rather than sailing around Africa, but rather sailing directly west. In 1492 the Spanish Crown accepts Columbuss proposal, finances a voyage of three ships, sailing to the west in search of a shorter spice route to the Indies.

By looking at the Natives, by asking them questions, by seeing how they lived, by recognizing that they did not know or ever heard of the Christian God, Columbus assumes that as they are "infidels and savages," he can claim their lands for the Spanish Crown. In a series of papal bulls, the Pope in Rome awards the discoveries that Columbus made to the Spanish Crown

The Papal Bull, Inter Caetera Divinae issued by Pope Alexander VI, DIVIDES THE WORLD BETWEEN PORTUGAL AND SPAIN

everything to the east of whats called the Papal Line of Demarcation is granted to Portugal so that Portugal gets all of Africa and a good part of Brazil. To the west of that line the world inhabited by the savages and infidels of the New World is granted to Spain.

Wherefore, all things considered maturely, and as it becomes Catholic kings and princes, considered with special regard for the exaltation and spread of the Catholic faith, you have decided to subdue the said mainlands and islands discovered by Columbus, and their natives and inhabitants with Gods grace and to bring them to the Catholic faith. With proviso, however, that these mainlands and islands found or to be found, discovered or to be discovered, be not actually possessed by some other Christian king or prince.

The first settlements in America were under the Spanish flag. THE FRENCH

The French went towards today's CANADA set up a settlement called QUEBEC - became the main military, political, religious and economic center (fur trade) From Quebec, the French quickly moved towards the west. In the next 50 years, French explorers had reached almost till the ROCKY MOUNTAINS. And by the 1770, the French had occupied the GULF OF MEXICO and the region from the mouth of the Mississippi to the mouth of St. Lawrence rivers.

THE ENGLISH England was among the last to establish colonies in the New World.

Shortly after Columbuss discoveries in 1492, the English Crown (HENRY VII) commissions another Italian navigator, [Giovanni] Caboto, JOHN CABOT, to sail to the west. The English were preoccupied with their internal, political and religious problems + war with Spain.

QUEEN ELIZABETH - active colonization and exploration activities of North America

WALTER RALEIGH, HUMPHREY GILBERT

WALTER RALEIGH
RALEIGH established the first English colony in 1587 on ROANOKE ISLAND, (off the coast of what is now North Carolina) the settlement known as "LOST COLONY" (disappeared with no traces).

REASONS FOR THE COLONIZATION

ECONOMIC exploiting the resources of the continent (sugar plantations, raising cattle, Natives enslaved, first African slaves brought to Virginia in 1619)

BUSINESS DRIVE TRADE first visitors had short-term posts and garrisons to trade with Native Americans or for gathering raw material, not permanent settlements

English first had the idea of colonization because they realized that more riches could be extracted from the New World by those who stayed

in 1606 a group of merchants from London approached the English Crown (KING JAMES), and they convinced James to issue them a patent in the name of the VIRGINIA COMPANY.

TOBACCO Virginia JAMESTOWN, JOHN SMITH (1607 - form 500 to 60 settlers ) loosely-bound society, only Smith was holding it as a society 1617 500.000 pounds of tobacco to England every year!

VIRGINIA

The expanded East India Company House, Leadenhall Street, London, as rebuilt 1799-1800, Richard Jupp, architect (as seen c. 1817; demolished in 1929)

ASYLUM - PURSUIT OF LIBERTY

convicted CRIMINALS had a choice to sail on the ships PILGRIMS fled their homes in Europe because of religious persecution SURPLUS POPULATION in Europe POVERTY (poor people selling themselves into INDENTURED SERVITUDE for a period of 4 to 7 years)

RELIGIOUS ZEAL

to found a NEW ISRAEL

PURITANS

The PILGRIMS had to flee their homes in Europe, because of religious persecution. They were part of a large religious group called the PURITANS. PROTESTANT REFORMATION in ENGLAND early part of the 16th Century HENRY VIII Pope refused to allow him to divorce CATHERINE OF ARAGON (had failed to produce a male heir to the throne)

HENRY VIII

CATHERINE OF ARAGON

HENRY VIII establishes the CHURCH OF ENGLAND in 1534

Succeeded by EDWARD VI who ran England as a PROTESTANT country Edward VI dies (16), succeeded by his elder sister MARY (CATHOLIC) persecution of the Protestants Mary succeeded by ELIZABETH compromise between Protestantism and Catholicism, but draconian measures against separatists

QUEEN ELIZABETH I Henry VIII s daughter

PROTESTANT SEPARATISTS:
PURITANS mission to "purify" the Church of England of all later changes and additions, from anything that was not substantial to religion (MATERIAL SIGNS of the churchs wealth and strength) + the RITE (the way to worship God).

wanted to abolish:

the EPISCOPAL HIERARCHY and the PRAYER BOOK,

also some of the RITUALS - simplicity in church ritual practice, vestments (no candles, no music), against the CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS, which obviously was not called for in the Bible.

Methodist Church, 1882. Bodie California

1549 Book of Common Prayer (1662)

DIVISION IN THE PURITAN CAMP

disagreement concerning the organization of the earthly church

MAJORITY (PRESBYTERIANS) hierarchy of clergy substituted by the hierarchy of ruling bodies (from the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY to the COUNCIL OF ELDERS) CONGREGATIONALISTS rejected all structures higher than individual churches

James I son of Mary Queen of Scots Throughout the reign of James I the Puritans gained power in Parliament. By the time of Charles I 's reign they had gained enough support in Parliament to pass laws imposing their views

During the reign of JAMES I - the Puritans gained POWER IN THE PARLIAMENT, became a major political force in England and came to power in London, such a big power that they could kill James's son Charles I. THE CIVIL WAR of 1642 marked the Puritan triumph. It led to the trial and execution of King CHARLES I (1649), the exile of his son, CHARLES II, and replacement of English monarchy with the short-lived COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND ruled by a strict Puritan OLIVER CROMWELL. 1660 the end of the Puritan power, the king and the RESTORATION came back

OLIVER CROMWELL

Confronted with pressure during the reign of Elizabeth's son James I, rather than risk beheading, some Congregationalists chose to leave England for the NETHERLANDS. In 1620 one such group decided to go on from there to AMERICA. 102 PILGRIMS (first called SEPARATISTS because they represented an extremist fraction, wanted to break away entirely from the COE), ship MAYFLOWER, landed in PLYMOUTH HARBOR

Landing of the Puritans in America, 1620

Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by William Halsall (1882)

Early in his reign, Charles I wanted to get Puritans to settle in America. This he did by offering them generous grants for settlement in America. One such grant went to the MASSACHUSETTS BAY COMPANY that organized an expedition in 1630 - a much larger group of over 400 puritans, led by JOHN WINTHROP on his flagship the ARBELLA, arrived in MASSACHUSETTS BAY, today's BOSTON, NEW ENGLAND.

SELF-GOVERNMENT
THE MAYFLOWER COMPACT

the first GOVERNING DOCUMENT of the Plymouth Colony

signed by Pilgrims in the harbor on the board of the Mayflower established the RULES and LAWS that regulated their life in the Plymouth Plantation this document to shape American society later foundation of the CONSTITUTION of the USA in a figurative way

Signing of the Mayflower Compact, a painting by Edward Percy Moran, exhibited at the Pilgrim Hall Museum

KINGS CHARTER

legal document from the KING OF ENGLAND, which legitimized their colony allowing them to settle the country and take the land there (as if the king had owned the land) and do trade and commerce with merchants in England, in accordance with the principles of mercantilism. Winthrop also had A COVENANT ON THE ARBELLA SHIP again the idea that society should be based on legal documents agreement between people

ENGLISH COLONIES
Colony
Virginia Plymouth Massachusetts Bay / New England New Hampshire Connecticut Rhode Island

Settlement
Jamestown New Plymouth Boston

Leader
John Smith William Bradford John Winthrop

Date
1607 1620 1630

Reason
Trade Religious freedom Religious freedom

Portsmouth Hartford Providence

John Mason

1630

Religious freedom and better land Religious freedom Religious freedom

Thomas Hooker 1636 (minister) Roger Williams 1636

PURITAN ETHICS
INFLUENCES: MARTIN LUTHER

Christian theologian and Augustinian monk whose teachings inspired the PROTESTANT REFORMATION and deeply influenced the doctrines of Protestant and other Christian traditions.

1517 - 95 Theses at the door of the church in WITTENBERG

to return to the teachings of the Bible

challenged the position of the clergy in regard to individual salvation (the selling of indulgences)
salvation is a gift of God's grace

began the tradition of clerical marriage within several Christian traditions

condemned as heretical by Pope Leo X

JOHN CALVIN

DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION: at the beginning of time God had chosen some people for salvation, while others were headed for eternal damnation.

only a few "elects"

all human attempts at earning salvation - meaningless. Predestination (Calvin) depressing, but Puritans didnt have any problem with that because they considered themselves to be chosen COVENANT THEORY - principle on which INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES of Puritan Congregationalists were RELATED DIRECTLY TO GOD

Puritans believed that they were the NEW ISRAELITES, they were sure that they had a COVENANT with God (the same that in the Old Testament was made with the Israeli people)

Unlike the other settlers, they had a vision, believed that they were going to the new Canaan
They saw themselves as lights "CITY UPON A HILL" - the world will look at them

Their arrival in America was a sign of the Covenant (a long and problematic trip)
Every earthly event, however seemingly casual, was a part of Gods timeless and all encompassing plan and it had to be reported and carefully interpreted Assumed that "the elect" will in their earthly life show signs of their special role, that they will be pious as well as successful in business they simply could do no wrong.

urge to SUCCEED, HARD WORK a necessary ingredient of HAPPINESS, the CULT OF MONEY, the AMERICAN DREAM

PURITAN VALUES
GREATEST SINS TO THE PURITANS:

SEPARATION of MAN FROM GOD SEPARATION of MAN from MAN NOT IMPROVING ONESELF

PILGRIMS

GREATEST VALUES:

PRUDENCE TOLERANCE SYMPATHY SELF-IMPROVEMENT (developing the talents that God gave you) Responsibility for the COMMUNITY (charity, social service, volunteering) HARD WORK DISCIPLINE SELF-DENIAL HUMBLENESS MODERATION OBEYING GOD'S LAWS (thought that even the smallest sin would break the Covenant with God - strict against drunkenness, adultery, murder, and theft)

1690-93 SALEM WITCH CRAFT TRIALS more than 150 people imprisoned, 19 witches hanged, 1 pressed to death

DISSENTERS FROM PURITAN COLONIES:

ROGER WILLIAMS a Puritan minister Boston religious freedom against COE and king (a public liar) individual conscience has primacy over all laws and institution Native Americans should be paid for the land that was taken from them Puritan leaders wanted to send Williams back to England. Williams escaped them in 1636 and founded the Rhode Island Colony.

ANNE HUTCHINSON

claimed to have had direct revelation from God banished to Rode Island 1637

EDUCATION

Started free schooling for all children immediately after they landed at Plymouth, the first college 9 years after they arrived Harvard 1636

Yale 1701
Princeton 1746 Columbia 1754 Pennsylvania 1755

During the GREAT MIGRATION, which began in 1630 and lasted till 1642, almost 20,000 people settled around the Bay. By 1733, the British had set up a total of 13 colonies in North America

The Puritans were not the only colonists driven by religious motives (ANABAPTISTS, ANGLICANS, CATHOLICS, QUAKERS), but PURITANS WERE BY FAR THE MOST INFLUENTIAL on shaping AMERICAN IDENTITY

Quaker Mary Dyer being led to execution by Boston Puritans, 1660

PURITAN INFLUENCE/ MERITS

EDUCATION
WASP DOMINATION DEMOCRACY (SELF RIGHT) CAPITALISM ENTERPRISE