Mr. J. UllmanMr. J. Ullman

Adapted from Ms. Susan M. PojerAdapted from Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NYHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

Mr. J. UllmanMr. J. Ullman

Adapted from Ms. Susan M. PojerAdapted from Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NYHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

Covenant TheologyCovenant Theology

“Covenant of Grace”: between Puritan communities

and God.

“Social Covenant”: Between members of Puritan

communities with each other.

Required mutual watchfulness.

No toleration of deviance or disorder.

No privacy.

How is this different from Southern colonies?

Land Division inSudbury, MA: 1639-

1656

Land Division inSudbury, MA: 1639-

1656

Land Division inLand Division inNew EnglandNew England

• Houses very close together– Everyone knew what everyone else

was doing; very little privacy• Common fields

– Shared by all townspeople for grazing livestock

• Meetinghouse– Usually the town church– Serves as gathering place where all

townspeople vote on laws and elect leaders

Characteristics of New England Settlements

Characteristics of New England Settlements

Low mortality Low mortality average life average life expectancy was 70 years of expectancy was 70 years of age.age.

Many large and extended Many large and extended families.families.

Average 6 children per family.Average 6 children per family.

Average age at marriage:Average age at marriage: Women – 22 years oldWomen – 22 years old

Men – 27 years old.Men – 27 years old.

PatriarchyPatriarchy

Authoritarian male father figures controlled each household.

Patriarchal ministers and magistrates controlled church congregations and household patriarchs.

Children• Farm work for boys beginning at age 5• Girls helped with spinning/sewing• Punished for laughing on the Sabbath

day• Running, whistling, humming

considered sinful any day• Parents developed “Sunday toys”

Education

• Dame schools: 1628, form of daycare

• Public school: required by law (except RI) and free

• Taxation of parents

The New England Primer (1683)

Education• Puritans believed that

everyone should be able to read the Bible

• Most children did not go to school for long because they were needed to work at home

• Some continued their education– Harvard College founded in

1636 originally to train ministers

Harvard College in 1725