Topic 3
The Seventeenth Century: Focus on the Puritans
For this topic we will be focusing on the Puritans and on the Salem Witch Trials. The latter took place
in the heart of Puritan-dominated Massachusetts Bay Colony in the late seventeenth century. As you
learned in Chapter 2 of Out of Many, the Protestant Reformation led to a split in Western European
Christianity, with many Protestant churches splitting away from the Catholic Church. The Protestant
denomination that eventually emerged triumphant in England was Anglicanism, although throughout the
seventeenth century Catholics, Anglicans, and Puritans fought for control of England. Puritans were
English followers of John Calvin. They wanted to “purify” Anglicanism, which they thought was too
similar to Catholicism. The struggles between Anglicans, Catholics, and Puritans were not purely
religious; they also had much to do with the pursuit of political power.
Of central importance to understanding how Puritans in America viewed themselves and the
world around them are the concepts of the covenant and predestination. John Winthrop, the first
governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony, outlined the idea of the covenant in his sermon “A Model of
Christian Charity” (1630); this sermon is one of your primary sources for Topic 3. The concept of
predestination had been articulated by the Frenchman John Calvin in the sixteenth century. According
to Calvin’s doctrine of predestination, before the beginning of time God had decided who would be
saved, meaning they would go to heaven, and who would go to hell. Those predestined for salvation
were called “the elect” or “saints”.1 Humans, in their everyday lives, could do nothing to change
whether they were among the elect or the damned. Moreover, Puritans believed that one could never be
sure whether one was among the elect or the damned  only God knew this for sure. This way of
thinking forced Puritans to acknowledge their total dependence on the grace of God: because a Puritan
could never know for sure whether he was predestined to go to heaven or hell, his only comfort was
faith  faith that God had marked him out to be saved. Not all Puritans had the strength of faith
necessary to strictly follow this very difficult theology. For example, some Puritans sought signs that
they or others were among the elect or the damned. Correct living, proper dress, and regular church
attendance might be seen as indications that one was among the elect. Prosperity might also be a sign of
God’s favor and hence a sign that one was among the elect. On the other hand, vulgar displays of
wealth might be evidence of gluttony and greed, and hence indications that one was among the damned.
Both community opinion and the opinion of local ministers influenced whether Puritans saw themselves
and those around them as being among the damned or the elect.
Puritans therefore lived under a heavy cloud of uncertainty. Moreover, Puritans saw themselves
as surrounded by temptation and evil. Those who believed (or hoped) that they were among the elect
had to live their lives surrounded by those predestined to go to hell. Puritans believed that other
religious groups, like Quakers and Anglicans, threatened the purity of their godly community. In
addition, there were also external threats. Puritans believed that Satan lurked in the forests that
surrounded their settlements. Puritans were also surrounded by Indians, and they therefore often viewed
Indians as agents of Satan.
1
Puritan saints therefore differed from Catholic saints. Catholic saints were especially holy people; often it was claimed they
could perform miracles. Puritan saints were simply those people God had predetermined would go to heaven.
HIST 120
Dr. Schaffer
All of these factors (and others, as you will learn when you read the secondary source, “The
Visible and Invisible Worlds of Salem”) played a role in the Salem witch craze of 1692‒93.
Remember to strive for total coverage on the questions! You want my feedback on all of
the Topic 3 material and you want that point of extra credit! Also remember that graded posts
must be at least 300 words long and should leave no doubt in my mind that you did the reading –
so discuss specific passages and use quotes. (See my sample post on the Topic 3 discussion forum.)
Key Terms (Discuss relevant key terms into your answers.)
Puritans / Puritanism
predestination
Pilgrims
Massachusetts Bay Colony
John Winthrop, “A Model of Christian Charity”
Anne Hutchinson
Roger Williams
Pequot War (1637)
Salem Witch Trials (169293)
Samuel Parris, Tituba, Sarah Good, Bridget
Bishop, Abigail Hobbs
feme sole / feme covert
spectral evidence
Cotton Mather, Wonders of the Invisible World
Salem Village vs. Salem Town
proprietary colony
Anglo Dutch Wars (165274)
William Penn
Quakers
King Philip’s War (167576)
Metacom
Pokanokets
Bacon’s Rebellion
the Glorious Revolution (1688)
King William’s War (168997)
Focus Questions
Tying the readings together (Tie together information from two or more of the assigned
readings.)
1. Describe the roles of the community, the family, and women in Puritan society (see Out of Many,
pp. 5051). How did the women who were accused of witchcraft in Salem in 1692 challenge
these roles? (Discuss specific examples from “The Visible and Invisible Worlds of Salem”
and/or the “Primary Sources on Sarah good and Bridget Bishop”.)
2. According to John Winthrop, what covenant have the colonists made with God? What would be
the consequences of either upholding or breaking this covenant? Now put yourself in the shoes
of a Puritan living in Massachusetts Bay Colony the late seventeenth century. Do you think you
and your fellow Puritans have been upholding your covenant with God or do you think it has
been broken? (Use specific historical examples to support your argument.)
3. How did the colonies established by the English in New England differ from those established in
the Chesapeake in the seventeenth century? In which area would you rather have lived and why?
(This question requires you to tie together information from the reading for Topics 2 and 3.)
HIST 120
Dr. Schaffer
Out of Many, Chapter 3, p. 46 to end (Draw on multiple sections of Ch. 3 in your answer.)
4. The third quarter of the seventeenth century was a particularly violent period in the history of
colonial America. What were some of the causes and consequences of this violence?
a. (Hint: Choose a couple of specific examples to discuss in detail; for example the Pueblo
Revolt, King Philip’s War, Bacon’s Rebellion, and/or King William’s War.)
5. The seventeenth century was a tumultuous one in England, as political and religious tensions led
to civil war and revolution. Describe how religion (including religious dissent) effected colonial
immigration and the attitude of the English government towards the colonies from the reign of
King Charles I to the Glorious Revolution. This chart will help you:
Overview of English history from the reign of King Charles I to the Glorious Revolution
Ruler
King Charles I (r. 1625–1649)
The Commonwealth
(1649−53) and Protectorate
(1653−58)
King Charles II (r. 1660–
1685)
King James II (r. 1685–1688)
King William (r. 16881702)
and Queen Mary (r. 168894)
Notes
Charles was executed in 1649. He was Anglican, but with Catholic leanings. He
persecuted Puritans.
The English government was controlled by the Puritan Oliver Cromwell for most of this
period.
Turning away from the Puritan dictatorship established by Cromwell, the English people
invited Charles II, a son of Charles I, to be their king. Charles was Anglican but he leaned
towards Catholicism. He advocated religious tolerance during his reign.
James was Catholic and was forced to abdicate in 1688 in the Glorious Revolution (socalled because there was no bloodshed).
Mary was a daughter of James II. She was Anglican and took the throne at the invitation of
the English people during the Glorious Revolution. She reigned with her husband,
William.
John Winthrop, “A Model of Christian Charity”: see the “Tying the Readings Together”
questions, above.
The Visible and Invisible Worlds of Salem & Primary Sources on Sarah Good and Bridget
Bishop
6. Choose a couple of “witches” to discuss. Why were these men and women accused of being
witches? What evidence was used to prove that they were witches? How would this evidence
hold up in court today?
7. How have historians and others attempted to explain the Salem witch craze? Which of these
arguments seems most persuasive to you and why?
HIST 120
Dr. Schaffer