Grouping of English Protestants started in the 16th and 17th centuries.
1. This group developed during the late asses and asses.
2. Puritans believed in Calvinist, which is the belief that man existed for the glory of God. The first concern in life was to do God’s will and so to receive future happiness.
2. Transcendentalists believed in the quest for truth, individualism, strong connections to nature, dislike of materialism, and relying on intuition.
3. Puritans placed family at the center of their societies and marriage represented one of the most fundamental human legislations rooted in procreation, love, and salvation.
3. Transcendentalists lifestyles were revolved around the quest for truth. Everything they did related to finding inner peace and searching inside one’s self.
4. John Winthrop reminded them of their duties on the flagship and John Calvin, who they believed God selected as their leader and was “ the elect” for salvation.
4. Transcendentalists leaders, including Ralph Wald Emerson, Henry David Whitman, served as teachers or educators.
5. The doctrine of predestination kept all Puritans constantly working to do good n this life to be chosen for the next eternal one. Puritans believed that God had already determined one’s fate, but they would never know until death.
5. The doctrine was the quest for truth, which could be achieved by meditation to bring us to truths that we never would have experienced using only our five senses.
6. The Puritans felt that every human being by nature was corrupt because of Adam and Eve’s fall to temptations.
6. Transcendentalists felt that if people followed their own free will and listened to their hearts, then they would be much better off. Also, they felt that knowledge came from living and experiencing life through nature.
7. Puritans felt that each person should be individually responsible to God. The New Testament was their model and devotion and it controlled their entire society. People of opposing views were either asked to leave the community or to be converted.
7. They felt that people have a direct relationship with God. They did not believe in organized religion because they wanted to have direct relationships with God, not through a pastor or priest. Belief in family and education. Also, people believed they had retirement fates, but not knowing what, they would do everything they could to get into heaven.
8. Weaknesses: Intolerant of other religions and believed all people were corrupt.
8. Strengths: The people were peaceful and believed that being a good person and making decisions for one’s self was best. People were not consumed with materialism. Weaknesses: People were more concerned with their themselves rather than others. They did not follow rules set by others because they believed they were always correct.
9. The most striking differences between the culture and beliefs of the Puritans and
Transcendentalists were that Puritans believed that man existed for the glory of God and that life was already predetermined by God. Transcendentalists believed that life was a quest for truth and this could only be achieved by through meditation and nature. Also, Puritans believed that each person should be converted to their religion and they are all individually responsible to God. Transcendentalists believed that direct relationships to God were possible and they could communicate to God through prayer and not through a priest or pastor.
10. I would want to be apart of the Transcendentalists group because they believe in doing good in the world. They are not consumed in materialistic objects and are not greedy, which meaner they would have their priorities in order. Also, Transcendentalists felt that direct communication would be a better way to get through to God, which is good because people could communicate with God in any way they wished. The last reason I would rather be apart of the Transcendentalists group would be because they believed in relying on one’s intuition, which would mean that people do not follow others, but they are leaders instead.
