Premium Essay

Puritan Ethics Examples

Submitted By
Words 454
Pages 2
Puritan ethics emphasize that hard work, discipline, and being cautious with spending money is a result of the values they were exposed to by their protestant faith. This article analyzes many Puritan ethics that are still existing in today’s society or have become obsolete. The two ethic phrases that people still use today are “Save for a rainy day”, and “Work together for the common good”. Samples of phrases that no longer apply in today’s society are “Men are superior to women physically, emotionally, and mentally” and the second phrase is “Children are to be seen, not heard”. Below are some examples of how these views are either still being used or are no longer thought of as valued or important.
The phrase “Save for a rainy day” is quite often used in today’s American society. People say this when they usually want to save money for an urgent and unexpected time of need. Examples would include an unexpected loss of a job, a disaster that affected your primary home or a loss in your family that affected day to day income needs. To prepare for this, individuals should open up a savings account or invest in purchasing homes or businesses. …show more content…
This phrase summarizes how valuable and successful people can be if they bond together for a greater purpose. An example of this would be, sending donations to individuals who have suffered loss from hurricanes or other natural disasters. Many people pitching in would result in a great impact for those that have lost a great deal. Another example would be volunteers who dedicate time to feed those who are hungry and in need. People now fight for this country so that Americans can have freedom. Others volunteer at hospitals and shelters and they do it for free, they just want to help people. More and more people are getting into helping out their community every

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Rhetorical Devices Used In Scarlet Letter

...It was a commonality for Puritans to be publicly whipped, pay fines, and be placed on a scaffold in front of others. In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne the many sinful would even inflict self-damage on themselves . The Scarlet Letter affirms the importance of work ethic and virtuosity of life. Hawthorne exercises the device of rhetorical irony and symbolism throughout the book which is supported by other devices such as pathos and abstract ideas to reveal the effects of sin on the Puritans. The Puritan way of life is distinctive from what we see today. Hawthorne establishes symbolic elements in the introduction of the wild rose bush. Hawthorne describes the bush as a possible ¨sweet moral blossom.” Hawthorne then starts with 1st...

Words: 736 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Puritans In New England

...England’s foundation was built by the settlers who had came there to seek new opportunities and find religious freedom. Puritans were among the first of many to settle in the New England regions, and they brought with them their ideas and values. For the Puritans, life revolved around religion, and their religious beliefs influenced how they viewed politics, the economy, and the social aspects of their lives. Politically, the Puritans believed in liberty and that every man is equal if they put forth labor and hard work. Governmental ideas and values that were brought to New England by the Puritans came from England, which was one of the only government styles they knew. Those who worked hard and cared about the community as a whole were...

Words: 923 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Puritans and Sex

...The Puritans and Sex In The Puritans and Sex, Edmund S. Morgan states sex as desirable by all people (28). Puritans have long been perceived as radical, religious conservatives that condemned life’s pleasures; sex in particular. Adding to the stereotype, they have been labeled as humorless, devoted believers of God emphasizing theocratic government through strict laws based upon the Clergy and The Bible through severe punishment. Above all, the Puritans were often viewed as individuals who discouraged relationships between the opposite sexes and trained themselves to be sexually repressive through the lack of intercourse; however, the Puritans encouraged sex within the bounds of marriage and emphasized their government to be structured through their beliefs and views of intimacy. The narrative begins explaining the views of sexual intercourse in the Puritan colonies. They emphasized that sex was a pleasure that was to be enjoyed through the use of the Marriage Bed founded by the nature in man (18). It was completely forbidden outside of marriage, and was propagated to have a penalty of death if adultery was to be committed. In conjunction, within a marriage, sex was also treated in line with other pleasures of life. During fasting, sex was also abandoned with food and drink. It was stressed that sex was to be centered to glorify God. In addition, if sex was conducted in an excessive manner, it was frowned upon similar to other displeasures such as drunkenness and gambling...

Words: 633 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Puritans

...create the model society. The Puritans where one group that wanted to make a society based on their beliefs. The Puritans wanted to purify the church of England. They also wanted to build a purified society. One aspiration that really took of for the puritans was their attempt to create a self-government. The Puritans wanted to have “A City upon a Hill”, in which the eyes of all people would have been upon them . They felt in order to build a purified society they would have to following in the way of the Bible. Basically people question whether the Puritans were an intolerant religious group of racists or the foundation of America? There are valid claims on both sides. Although, many historians believe Puritans had a direct effect on the rapid and successful development of American civilization, that the Puritans were able to come up with the idea of a “democratic” state, the whole process of a few governing and people elect came from them, but for the most part we can see through their beilefs and laws they were an intolerant group that goes against American values set in the constitution. The biggest American value set in our constitution is the separation of Church and State. We enjoy basic human freedoms, like freedom of religion and speech. This was not the case with the puritans. They imposed concrete belief in the Bible and lived by it. Maintaining your life based on the Bible sets valuable limits. Prior to following the Bible, the Puritans looked at laughter and pleasure...

Words: 1094 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Puritan Influence On New England Colonies

...In the period between 1630s and 1660s, puritan values and ideals profoundly influenced the development of the New England colonies in distinct ways including, emphasis on church, education, and community, a representative, religious centered government and ideals of fair pricing and good work ethic. The Puritan’s emphasis on church, community, and education significantly impacted the England colonies in many ways. The puritans colonized the Massachusetts Bay colony to escape harassment in England in doing so; John Winthrop declared the colony to be a “City upon a hill.” Winthrop emphasized the importance of a community rather than individual interests. “Wee must be knit together, in this woke, as one man,” Winthrop wanted to build a godly...

Words: 608 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Sexualtiy in a Patriarchal Society

...some who broke the norm. There have been serious consequences for females who have attempted to liberate themselves, especially when they attempt to do so sexually. Females have the ability to achieve their sexual liberation despite the patriarchal societies in which they live. Two females which have attempted to achieve sexual liberation are Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter and Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar named Desire. Both Hester Prynne and Blanche Dubois’s attempts to achieve sexual liberation were hindered by the patriarchal societies in which they lived in; making only one of them successful. The Scarlet Letter, written in 1850, takes place in the late 17th century in Massachusetts. At this time Massachusetts is a Puritan colony. A Puritan, according to Oxford Dictionaries, is a member of a group of English Protestants of the late 16th and 17th century who regarded the Reformation of the Church of England under Elizabeth as incomplete and sought to simplify and...

Words: 4249 - Pages: 17

Free Essay

Spirits & Spectres

...which has worked as a guiding force in the evolution of modern capitalism (Green 1973). Werner does not offer any explanation as to what the nature of this spirit might be, or where it came from, but he does argue that this spirit is responsible for the development of capitalism in the modern world. After reading Werner’s work, German sociologist Max Weber, one of the founding creators of sociology, seized upon Werner’s idea and set out to explain the origins of this spirit of capitalism. Weber’s visit to America, the heart and soul of capitalism, in 1904 brought him his answer. While in America, Weber observes that matters of business are very closely related to religious affiliation. This attitude manifests itself in many ways, but one example he provides is the story of a man’s visit to the doctor: “the patient’s statement of his church membership was merely to say: ‘Don’t worry about the fees’ (Gerth & Mills 1946, 304).” This, of course, meant that this man was financially sound, because he belonged to a specific church community. Weber explains: “Admission to the congregation is recognized as an absolute guarantee of the moral qualities of a gentleman, especially of those qualities required in business matters (Gerth & Mills, 305).” Essentially, in order to become a part of a religious sect, a man must prove his ability to productively participate in society, ensuring that he will not be a financial burden to others. The close ties Weber observes between religion and business...

Words: 1157 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Compare & Contrast "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Child by Tiger"

...beliefs while Spangler comes to an understanding that human beings can be both good and evil. "Young Goodman Brown," is a short-story of tragedy and personal loss. Hawthorne reveals the power of betrayal and the unsurmountable fear of evil. In this case, the source of these is the very foundation of a young man's faith. "Young Goodman Brown" is both memorable and perplexing because it is partially the story of Hawthorne's own self-discovery and a strong condemnation of the rigid fundamentalist system of belief that forms the core values of America to this very day. Unlike Washington Irving's earlier thriller, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," where the terror is ghostly and headless, Hawthorne unveils the murky dark side of 17th century Puritan mysticism and superstition during the era of witch hunting, inquisition and execution in Salem. The newly-wed Goodman Brown, like so many heroes before and after him, begins his quest to discover his destiny full of love and optimism, faithful and confident in his ability to overcome evil, for that is the foundation of his faith. Ah! The arrogance of youth....

Words: 815 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Fisher's Folkways

...HISTORY 1301 United States History: Discovery to 1876 Handout # The Folkways of the Distinct English Groups that Colonize America David Hacket Fisher author of Albion’s Seed: Four British Folkways in America (1989) wrote his book to answer the great questions: “Where do we come from” Who are we? [and] Where are we going?” (Fisher. p. 3) “The answers to these questions grow more puzzling the more one thinks about them. We Americans are a bundle of paradoxes. We are mixed in our origins, and yet we are one people. Nearly all of us support our republican system, but we argue passionately among ourselves about its meaning. We live in an open society which is organized on the principles of voluntary action, but the determinants of that system are exceptionally constraining. Our society is dynamic, changing profoundly in every period of American history; but it is also remarkably stable. The search for the origins of this system is the central problem in American history. It is the subject of this book.”( Fisher. p. 4) The answer is to be found in the “folkways” which four specific groups of Englishmen brought with them to the New World. These folkways provide an empirical measure of the differences in their societies which have blended to form the “American way.” “The interplay of” the folkways of the four English speaking immigrant groups, especially their “ ‘freedom ways’ has created an expansive pluralism which is” peculiarly American. “That is the central...

Words: 4946 - Pages: 20

Free Essay

Science and Religion

...Sara Ossaba English 101 April 30, 2015 Religion and Science In the beginning there was darkness. Then there was light. Then there was consciousness. Then there were questions and then there was religion. Why are we? Where do we come from? Why does the world and nature act as it does? What happens when we die? Religion tended to the answer to all these questions with the stories of gods and other supernatural forces that were beyond the understanding of humans. Where science seems able to explain everything with prove and evidence right before your eyes. Science deals with the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. ‘’Creationism", another view on man's origin, means belief in creation in a more general sense. A Creationist may believe that the earth is billions of years old, and that simple forms of life evolved gradually to form more complex forms including humans. In addition to that belief, however, is the belief that a supernatural Creator initiated the life process and continues to control it. The most reasonable view on the origin of mankind is known as naturalistic evolution. It means a gradual process by which one kind of living creature changes into something different; evolution that is not directed by any purposeful intelligence. Another part of the idea is that more complex...

Words: 2160 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

How Did England's Lack Of Control Over The Colonists?

...According to Samuel Eliot Morrison, "By 1763 the British North American colonists were the freest people in the world." This was because of England's lack of control over the colonists due to distance and transitions made in the New World. Morrison's quote can be justified politically, economically, and religiously. A great example of political freedom within the colonies is the Mayflower Compact. It organized a form of self-government and resolved issues based on majority rule among the Plymouth Colony, which was also fleeing England due to religious persecution. This document had built a wall between the monarchy in England and the people in British North America since it was the first active revolt against King James. A second example would be John Winthrop establishing theocracy in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This was very different from the monarchy back in England because it was a government ruled by religion. Both the Mayflower Compact and the theocracy in Massachusetts were experiences that led to political freedom....

Words: 485 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Max Webers Protestant Ethic & the Spirit of Capatalism

...Max Weber “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” Max Webers “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” is an analysis as to the relationship between the emergence of the spirit of capitalism in the west and the ethics of Calvinism. He argues that Calvinism catalysed this creation of the capitalist spirit. His study arose when he asked himself why capitalism had emerged out of Western Europe before anywhere else in the world, even though the economic conditions seemed identical in many of these places. In this essay I will argue that this relationship between the two isn’t as paramount as Weber suggests, and in fact may be completely arbitrary. I believe this for a number of reasons including the distorting effect Webers use of a “ideal type” has and the fact that some areas where Calvinism was practiced heavily Capitalism developed a lot later in, while others with no Calvinist beliefs still did develop Capitalism. Weber starts his analyse looking at the intrinsic relationship between religion and business. He emphasises how sect membership is a sign that you are trustworthy and will be a good business partner, as admission to one of these congregations only happens after a careful probation, where your conduct, back to early childhood, is assessed and checked for any kind of frivolity. Admission therefore is a guarantee of the moral qualities of someone, it is a badge of honour showing you have those qualities that are required in business matters...

Words: 1590 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Paper1

...When discussing the ethics of consumerism, it is important to develop an- in depth understanding of the history of the subject before having the discussion of the moralistic opinions about. The video The Story of Stuff provided the background necessary to understand the reasons why there are so many issues with consumerism. The argument in the video is that the United States has become a consumerist society since the early 1900’s. A consumerist society is defined as one directed largely by the accumulation and consumption of material goods (O’Shaughnessy and O’Shaughnessy, 2002). This consumerism was said to have peaked during the 1950’s when it is said that happiness and contentment with life was at its greatest. Today, things have changed significantly. The adoption of modern marketing practices has led to the emergence of consumerist societies in the swelling middle classes (Chan and Cui, 2004). On one hand, this means that more people are earning enough money to spend. However, the increase in the spending power of the middle class had led to greater demand for consumer goods and thus the resources that are used to make them. The video discussed how much marketing has played a role in the way that people advocate for consumerism. Those who advocate against consumerism stated that social progress and economic development have caused contemporary marketing practice to contribute to a consumerist or materialistic society. The main issue with consumerism seems to be...

Words: 1810 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Culture Aspects

...Countries with High Power Distance (e.g., Mexico, Perú, Venezuela, Colombia) Countries With Low Power Distance (e.g., U.S., Netherlands, Sweden) Managers show less consideration Managers show more consideration Employees fear to disagree with their boss Employees less afraid of disagreeing with their boss Managers see themselves as benevolent decision-makers Managers see themselves as practical and systematic; they admit a need for support Subordinates favor a manager’s decision- making style to be more autocratic- paternalistic Subordinates favor a manager’s decision making style to be more consultative, democratic, and give and take Close supervision positively evaluated by Subordinates Close supervision negatively evaluated by subordinates Higher and lower educated employees show similar values about authority Higher educated employees hold much less authoritarian values than lower-educated ones HIGH INDIVIDUALISM (e.g., US, Great Britain, Canada, Australia) LOW INDIVIDUALISM (e.g., Venezuela, Perú, Colombia, Mexico) Need to make specific friendships Social relationships predetermined in terms of “in groups” Individual initiative is socially encouraged Individual initiative is socially frowned upon; fatalism Managers endorse “modern” points of view on stimulating employee initiative and group activity Managers endorse “traditional” points of view, not supporting employee initiative and group activity Emotional independence from company...

Words: 760 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Jonathan Edwards- Sciene and Religion

...English Department University of Heidelberg HS Literature: Science and Religion Instructor: Dr. Prof. Jan Stievermann WS 11/12 Jonathan Edwards: The Theory of Conversion and His Disposition towards Science Angela Abram Am Güterbahnhof 26, 69181 Leimen angeljoy89@yahoo.com English philology, semester: 5 Matriculation number: 2828314 April 9th, 2012 1. Introduction 3 2. Jonathan Edwards 4 2.1. His Life and Calling 2.2. The Conversion Experience 6 3. Edward’s Disposition towards Science 10 3.1. Science as a Way to Know God     3.2. Book of Nature vs. Book of God 13 4. Is Empiricism Important? 14 5. Jonathan Edwards: A Scientist and Christian 18 6. Conclusion 21 Bibliography 23 Honor Pledge 24 1. Introduction Throughout the centuries the relationship between science and religion has been at times harmonious and at other times at odds with each other. Even today we still find many religious groups who see science as a threat to their belief system. Among these groups are Evangelical Christians. We hear of concerned mothers protesting against the teaching of evolution in front schools, pastors warning their congregation about the dangers of science and many more instances of believer trying to “fight against” scientific findings that are not compatible with the word of God. However, a closer look reveals that there...

Words: 9972 - Pages: 40