Reading about the Puritans, I have to admit that I admire their spunk. It takes a lot of guts to move to a completely disgusting region that's infested with practically every disgusting thing this side of the Atlantic. That takes a lot of determination, hard work, and stubbornness. Definitely American Values. One cannot deny their impact upon American culture throughout the years.
However, I've noticed that many of my classmates talk about how altruistic the Puritans were in coming to the good ol' Chesapeake region. This, in my mind, creates a view that is entirely too simplistic. It's ignorant (although beautifully optimistic) to think that the Puritans had no exterior motives. They wished to gain wealth, or have their needs met fully, just like everyone else. However, they really saw this as a blessing from God which does make it a tad more palatable in my mind.
William Bradford said at one point: "I cannot but here take occasion not only to mentions but greatly to admire the marvelous providence of God!" When things start looking up, God is invoked. When people die, get injured, God is still invoked. This makes everything the Puritans do just seem better. Sure, they have human failings, and they could be a "tad" intolerant. But ultimately, they were working towards a greater good, and we all have to admire that, don't we?
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