Under this system of belief, all people follow a direct path to purity and sanction in the afterlife. The Puritan beliefs did not allow for independent thought outside of what the church deemed as true and righteous. During this time of Puritan sovereignty, subjects such as art, music, and literature were all highly limited by religious creed, and mathematics and sciences were often times neglected. The people placed all faith in God, needing no thought of their own to guide their lives.
Even after the decline of Puritanism as the dominant religion as new settlers arrived in America, the sense of religion was still strong. Catholicism and Protestantism became more popular in the colonies of Britain, and politics and literature often reflected the views of these religions. During the Glorious Revolution, tensions drew in America over the crowning of King James II. The Protestant colonists feared the devout Catholic ruler, and his actions allowing the practice of Catholicism furthered their fears. James also denied colonial charters and any colonial representation in Parliament. The actions taken by James seemed to signify the eventual change of Protestant establishments into Catholic ones and heightened rule of the colonies, drawing numerous outcries for autonomy in the colonies. This instance of religion playing a significant role in politics is but one of many in the history of America under rule of Britain. (American Enlightenment [1], 1-2).
While political and religious tensions grew between Britain and the colonies, many new ideas traversed the ocean from Britain to America. Many of these ideas sprung from the English radicals, known as "commonwealthmen." These men advocated the abolition of the monarchy and establishment of a republic. Believing the English Parliament a debauchery, the commonwealthmen differed the taxes of Parliament and believed that the armies should be dismantled.