Ancient history

Who were puritans?

Puritans were a group of English Protestants who believed that the Church of England should be purified of its Catholic beliefs and practices. They sought to reform the church from within, but when they were unsuccessful, they began to separate from the church and hold their own religious services. Puritans believed in the Bible as the sole authority for faith and practice, and they stressed the importance of personal religious experience and conversion. They also believed in the sovereignty of God and the predestination of individuals to salvation or damnation.

Puritans were persecuted for their beliefs in England, and many of them fled to the Netherlands and America in the 17th century. In America, they founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. The Puritans built a theocratic society in Massachusetts, and they imposed their religious beliefs on the entire colony. They believed that their colony was a "city on a hill," a model for other communities to follow.

Puritans were very influential in American culture and society. Their beliefs and values helped to shape the development of the United States, and their legacy can still be seen today in many American institutions and traditions.