The Puritans started a new way of life when they came to America. They came to practice religious freedom from the Catholic church. However, individual Puritans were not free to practice their religion any way they liked once in America. “Puritans emigrated in order to practice their variety of Christianity, but they had little tolerance for other religious points of view” (p. 71). Strict rules of conduct and worship were dictated to them. The Puritans believed that everyone had a role in their society, and should stay in their place. There was no separation of church and state at this time, so obeying the law meant obeying the church.
The Puritan communities were close-knit and centered around a town square. Men worked in the fields, women tended the house, garden, and livestock, and male children were educated. The importance of education was unique to the Puritans of this time. It was very important to the Puritans that everyone follow the rigid rules and stay in their place. Women in particular were scorned for not following their assigned roles. “Wives who failed to have children, or widows who were economically independent, aroused significant suspicion among their neighbors” (p. 71). Those who disregarded the rules suffered public humiliation, and if the offense was too big, like speaking out against the church, the offender would be excommunicated and cast out of the community..
These moral laws of conduct helped develop the Puritans into a strong society. They kept the people together and forced them to act as a community. They didn't have the choice to skip church and go out on their own. They supported each other and relied on each other. Having little personal freedom kept them scared to make independent choices. Those who didn't conform were punished harshly and made examples of. They were also in a “New World” and had to rely heavily on their small government and their church to live. Alone they could not have made it in the harsh conditions...