Written Analysis #2: to What Extent Did the Early New England Puritans Live Up to Their Idealized Vision of Community? Explain.
The New England Puritans in America
In coming to the New World, the New England Puritans had great expectations in numerous ways. Their idealized vision of America was some sort of a Utopia, as an opposite to their troubled society in England. They dreamed of a land with no wars, much wealth and power, and freedom to practice whichever religion they chose, (although, quite ironically, they attempted to force Puritanism upon everyone). In these ways, the New England Puritans lived up mostly up to their expectations, with a few faults here or there. All the while the Puritans traveled to the New World, England became very war-oriented, which was one the things the settlers hoped to escape. Obviously, this was a failed attempt, considering the many attacks on the Natives living there. Though truth be told, the amount of battles was lesser in the New World than in England, which in some ways, did agree with their imaginative lifestyle there. The majority of explorers who took part in this great venture, were actually nobles. This means that most of the men on board the Mayflower had no previous experience with any expeditions of this kind, and as a matter of fact, they only came on board looking for power. The thing about nobles was they had seemingly endless supplies of wealth, but they were without land. While some men had dreams of religious freedom and fewer battles, nobles dreamed of acreage, a luxury they lacked. This is something they managed to find, although they were forced to attack the Natives to obtain this land. The New England Puritans lived up to their idealized vision of the New World on the grounds of power through land. The last great expectation the Puritan settlers had in coming to America, was the freedom to partake in any religion they wished. In some sense, they prevailed. They managed to escape the Roman Catholic Church, but at the same time, their religious endeavor stopped at Puritanism and ended with either the conversion or
In coming to the New World, the New England Puritans had great expectations in numerous ways. Their idealized vision of America was some sort of a Utopia, as an opposite to their troubled society in England. They dreamed of a land with no wars, much wealth and power, and freedom to practice whichever religion they chose, (although, quite ironically, they attempted to force Puritanism upon everyone). In these ways, the New England Puritans lived up mostly up to their expectations, with a few faults here or there. All the while the Puritans traveled to the New World, England became very war-oriented, which was one the things the settlers hoped to escape. Obviously, this was a failed attempt, considering the many attacks on the Natives living there. Though truth be told, the amount of battles was lesser in the New World than in England, which in some ways, did agree with their imaginative lifestyle there. The majority of explorers who took part in this great venture, were actually nobles. This means that most of the men on board the Mayflower had no previous experience with any expeditions of this kind, and as a matter of fact, they only came on board looking for power. The thing about nobles was they had seemingly endless supplies of wealth, but they were without land. While some men had dreams of religious freedom and fewer battles, nobles dreamed of acreage, a luxury they lacked. This is something they managed to find, although they were forced to attack the Natives to obtain this land. The New England Puritans lived up to their idealized vision of the New World on the grounds of power through land. The last great expectation the Puritan settlers had in coming to America, was the freedom to partake in any religion they wished. In some sense, they prevailed. They managed to escape the Roman Catholic Church, but at the same time, their religious endeavor stopped at Puritanism and ended with either the conversion or