Puritan child rearing practices are very diverse from modern childhood. In all probability there is much to learn about how different the Puritan and modern society truly are. The disparity between the roles of the father and mother are very obvious. When comparing the children from the two societies it is very apparent that the expectations of the two societies have changed dramatically. Throughout the duration of this paper the differences between the Puritan child rearing practices and the modern will become evident. .
The Puritans were very much a community in every way. The Puritans fundamentally lived in the community, church, and family. People in the Puritan community made it a priority to make sure that the Parents were doing their job. The city fathers had the final say in how the child was being reared. Learning the English tongue was essential to a child's education. If the children could not speak the English tongue then they were unable to read the bible. Children were to be raised the way the city fathers saw fit or they would take the matter into their own hands. If the children were not successful it was because of the parents neglect, in no way shape or form was it the child's fault. Parents of Puritan children were supposed to have the upper hand and ensure that the child was respectful and not left to his or her self. It was the parent's job to keep the child from sin. It almost seems as if the children were not permitted to have a mind of their own. Although the father had the final say when it came to matters of the home, the mothers were vital when it came to raising a Puritan family. Even though the father was able to overrule the mother he was expected not to unless there was a very good reason. When children reached a certain age they were sent off to learn a trade. Even at the young age of fourteen years old they were expected to prepare for the rest of their lives.
It is clear that many Puritans aspirations were, indeed, fulfilled, yet some were not. ... Puritans were very intellectual beings. ... Reason played a huge part in Puritan opinions. ... Puritans wished to maintain order in their colony. ... Puritans became the mold of religious liberty. ...
Works of the Puritans Most people think of the Puritans as simple people who have been passed by today's technological advances. ... The basic ideas and ways of the Puritan life can be seen from their numerous writings; these writings can be a hidden pathway into the every day life of a puritan. Jonathan Edwards was a shining example of the Puritan way of life. ... The end goal of the Puritans was of course to make it into heaven. ... The Puritan people lived almost entirely on the worship of God. ...
It was what the Puritans believed in as well as the villagers of Salem. The Puritans were very dedicated to their religious beliefs, and to the Puritans witchcraft was considered both a sin and a crime. The main reason why the witch trials occurred was because the Puritans goal in life was to purify the organization of their church. ... Nevertheless, the Puritans seemed to be a religious cult that put fear into the people of Salem. The extent that the Puritans had gone for the sake of religion is unbelievable....
The Puritans wanted to pray to their own church. ... One of the beliefs of the Puritans was the devil, whom they feared. Witches and the devil's servants were always battling the Puritans. ... The Puritans didn't like the way the English created new taxes, and Puritans saw this as taking away their independence. ... This is a distinguishing mark of Puritan culture. ...
The Puritans traveled from England to America in the early 1600s. The Puritans that founded Salem, Massachusetts left England in 1608. ... The Puritans believed in preaching not rituals. ... Puritans lived in fear of an eternity in hell, the Puritans projection of a bad life here on Earth. ... Their behavior was not at all what you would think a Puritans behavior should be. ...
Passionate Puritan laymen received savage punishments. ... The Puritans were "non-separating Congregationalists." ... Their religious principles set them apart as Puritans. ... The Puritans were not a small group of people. ... Most of the Puritans settled in the New England area. ...
All people practicing witchcraft were condemned by the Puritans. In Puritans pursued themselves to be more pure with God. ... The Puritans believed that their duty in life was to praise God. ... The Puritans learned a broad amount of right from wrong. ... Witchcraft was unacceptable to the Puritan's beliefs. ...
The Puritans also held a strong social order. ... The roles were very similar to those of the Puritans. ... Education was also important in Puritan's life. ... The Puritans were also driven by capitalism. ... The Puritans also had an impact of Individualism. ...
