Puritan influence

Puritan influence

The Puritans shaped religion, social life, and government in North America. Their strong belief in education led them to establish Harvard and Yale as colleges and to require a system of grammar schools in the colonies. The Puritans organized their government according to the teachings they found in the Bible and on the basis of their English experience. Their belief in government by contract from the governed influenced the development of American democratic principles.

Puritan ideals also shaped political and social institutions in England and the American Colonies. In England, the Puritan Revolution led to a greater emphasis on limited or constitutional monarchy, in which a constitution, legislature, or both limit the power of a ruler.

Over time, the term "puritan" has broadened to mean a strictness in morals or religious matters. The term is commonly applied to cultural traits found in the literature of and social attitudes shared by the New England colonies. Such traits include an emphasis on education and the glorification of hard work.

Excerpt adapted from the "Puritan" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999