The Puritans Were Not Tolerant of Other Religions

Smithsonian Channel

14 Dec 201903:00

Summary

TLDRThe Puritans, seeking religious reform in England, fled persecution and established their colony in Massachusetts in 1630, naming their new settlement Boston. Despite their quest for religious freedom, they were intolerant of dissenting beliefs, notably those of the Quakers. The Quaker doctrine of a direct relationship with God was seen as a threat, leading to the execution of four Quakers, including Mary Dyer, known as the Boston Martyrs. This period marked a dark chapter in Boston's history, but by the 1680s, the rigid Puritan views began to wane, and subsequent generations embraced religious diversity.

Takeaways

🏰 The Puritans fled to Massachusetts in 1630 to escape persecution in England and establish their own colony.
🛐 They sought religious liberty for themselves but were intolerant of others with differing religious views.
🌳 The Puritans named their new settlement Boston, after the English town they left behind.
🚫 There was no separation of church and state, leading to the Puritans' persecution of those they saw as threats.
⚖️ The Puritans were willing to execute individuals, including a young woman, for disobedience to their religious and societal norms.
🤝 For about fifty years, the Puritans maintained strict control over Boston, particularly against the Quakers.
🧘‍♀️ Quaker beliefs, such as direct personal relationships with God, were seen as a threat to Puritan society.
📜 Mary Dyer, a Quaker, was banished from Massachusetts for preaching but defied the order and was eventually executed.
🏔 Mary Dyer and three others are known as the Boston Martyrs, executed for their religious beliefs during a dark period in Boston's history.
🌱 By the 1680s, Puritan influence began to wane, and subsequent generations in Boston became more open to diverse religious beliefs.

Q & A

Why were the Puritans persecuted in England?
-The Puritans were persecuted in England because they wanted to reform the Church of England and purify it of what they saw as corrupting elements and practices of the Catholic faith.
Where did the Puritans flee to in 1630 to start their own colony?
-The Puritans fled to the Massachusetts coast in 1630 to start their own colony.
What was the new town they built along the Charles River named, and after what place was it named?
-The new town they built along the Charles River was named Boston, after the place they had left behind in England.
How did the Puritans treat others with different religious ideas in their colony?
-The Puritans actively opposed others with different religious ideas, feeling it was their right to persecute and prosecute anyone they deemed a threat to their new colony.
What was the relationship between church and state in the Puritan colony?
-There was no separation of church and state in the Puritan colony, which allowed them to enforce their religious beliefs on others.
Who were the Quakers and how did their beliefs threaten the Puritans?
-The Quakers were a religious group that believed one could have a direct personal relationship with God. This belief was threatening to the Puritans, who feared it could lead to civil unrest.
What happened to Mary Dyer when she arrived in Boston in 1657 to preach?
-When Mary Dyer, a Quaker, arrived in Boston in 1657 to preach, she was arrested and banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Why was Mary Dyer executed after her repeated defiance?
-Mary Dyer was executed because she repeatedly defied the banishment order and continued to preach her Quaker beliefs, which the Puritans saw as a threat.
On what date was Mary Dyer hanged, and where did this take place?
-Mary Dyer was hanged on the morning of June 1st, 1660, from a tree in the middle of Boston Common.
Who are the Boston Martyrs and why are they significant?
-The Boston Martyrs are four Quakers, including Mary Dyer, who were executed because of their religious beliefs. They are significant as they represent one of the darkest periods in Boston's history.
How did the religious landscape of Boston change by the 1680s?
-By the 1680s, the strict Puritan ideas had started to fade, and new generations of Bostonians became more accepting of other religious faiths.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 The Founding of Boston by Puritans

The Puritans, facing persecution in England for their desire to reform the Church and remove Catholic influences, fled to the Massachusetts coast in 1630 to establish a colony. They purchased land and founded Boston, named after their English hometown. Despite seeking religious freedom for themselves, the Puritans did not extend this liberty to others with differing beliefs. They had no separation of church and state and were intolerant of those they perceived as threats, even resorting to execution. The Quakers, with their belief in a direct relationship with God, were particularly feared and faced the brunt of the Puritans' persecution. Mary Dyer, a Quaker who defied banishment, was hanged in Boston Common in 1660, becoming one of the four Boston Martyrs. This period marked a dark chapter in Boston's history, but by the 1680s, the Puritan grip began to loosen, and subsequent generations became more accepting of diverse religious beliefs.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Puritans

The Puritans were a group of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England from what they considered to be remnants of Roman Catholicism. In the video, they are depicted as fleeing persecution in England to establish a colony in Massachusetts, where they aimed to create a society based on their religious beliefs. Their strict approach to religion and intolerance towards other faiths led to the persecution of other religious groups, such as the Quakers.

💡Persecution

Persecution refers to the systematic mistreatment of a group of people, often based on their beliefs or identity. In the context of the video, the Puritans faced persecution in England for their desire to reform the Church, leading them to seek refuge in the New World. However, once established in Boston, they became the persecutors of other religious groups, particularly the Quakers, who held different religious views.

💡Religious Liberty

Religious liberty is the right to hold and express one's religious beliefs without interference or fear of punishment. The Puritans sought religious liberty for themselves, as they were not free to practice their faith as they wished in England. However, the video highlights the irony that while they sought this freedom, they did not extend the same courtesy to others with differing beliefs, thus creating a complex narrative around the concept of religious liberty.

💡Massachusetts Bay Colony

The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement in North America during the 17th century, founded by a group of Puritan colonists. The video script mentions the Puritans fleeing to the Massachusetts coast in 1630 to start their own colony, which they named Boston. This colony was significant as it became a center for Puritan religious and cultural practices, and it was here that they exerted their influence and control over religious matters.

💡Separation of Church and State

The concept of separation of church and state refers to the idea that religious institutions should be independent from governmental authority. The video indicates that in the Puritan-run Boston, there was no such separation, with the Puritan religious leaders also holding political power. This lack of separation allowed them to enforce their religious views and persecute those who did not conform.

💡Quakers

Quakers, or members of the Religious Society of Friends, are a Christian movement known for their belief in the 'Inner Light,' which suggests a direct, personal relationship with God without the need for a clergy or formal religious rituals. In the video, the Quakers' beliefs were seen as a threat by the Puritans, leading to severe persecution, including the execution of four Quakers known as the Boston Martyrs.

💡Mary Dyer

Mary Dyer was a prominent Quaker who played a significant role in the video's narrative. She is depicted as defying the Puritan authorities by preaching her faith in Boston, which led to her arrest and eventual execution. Her story exemplifies the extreme measures taken by the Puritans to suppress religious dissent and serves as a poignant reminder of the human cost of religious intolerance.

💡Boston Martyrs

The term 'Boston Martyrs' refers to four Quakers who were executed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony for their religious beliefs. Mary Dyer is one of them, as mentioned in the video. Their deaths are highlighted as a dark period in Boston's history, symbolizing the extreme lengths to which the Puritans went to maintain religious uniformity and control.

💡Civil Unrest

Civil unrest refers to public disorder or disturbances, often stemming from social, political, or religious tensions. The video suggests that the Puritans feared the Quaker belief in a direct relationship with God could lead to civil unrest, as it might undermine their authority and disrupt the social order they were trying to establish in their colony.

💡Iron Fist

The phrase 'rule with an iron fist' is used to describe strict, authoritarian control. In the video, it is used to describe how the Puritans governed Boston for nearly half a century after their arrival. This control was marked by the harsh treatment of those who did not adhere to their religious views, reflecting the severity of their rule.

💡Religious Faiths

Religious faiths refer to the various systems of belief and worship that individuals or groups hold. The video narrative shows a shift over time, with new generations of Bostonians becoming more accepting of different religious faiths, indicating a gradual move away from the strict religious intolerance of the Puritan era.

Highlights

The Puritans were persecuted for wanting to reform the Church of England

They fled to the Massachusetts coast in 1630 to start their own colony

The Puritans bought land and laid claim to hundreds of acres along the Charles River to build their new town

They named their new town Boston after the place they left behind in England

The Puritans actively opposed others with different religious ideas

There was no separation of church and state, leading to persecution of those deemed a threat

A young woman who disobeyed was even willing to be put to death

The Puritans ruled Boston with an iron fist for nearly half a century

The Quakers received most of the Puritans' wrath

Quaker beliefs were threatening to the Puritans, causing fear of civil unrest

Mary Dyer was arrested and banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for preaching

Dyer repeatedly defied the order and was captured and brought to Boston Common

On June 1st, 1660, Mary Dyer was hanged from a tree in the middle of Boston Common

Dyer was one of four Quakers executed because of their religious beliefs, known as the Boston Martyrs

Their killings mark one of the darkest periods in Boston history

By the 1680s, strict Puritan ideas had started to fade

New generations of Bostonians became more accepting of other religious faiths over time