Without doubt, the Puritans shaped American culture and history like no other group. References to them abound in American culture, and they are a major part of the national founding myth. But who were the Puritans and where did they come from?
In this course we will examine the transatlantic connections of the religious movement that came to define early America. Beginning with the English background of Puritanism, this course will deal with the model of society the Puritans set up in New England and hoe they interacted with the Native American inhabitants of the continent. Combinining historical and literary analysis, we will also discuss poetry and prose by major Puritan authors such as John Bunyan, Jon Winthrop, Michael Wigglesworth and Anne Bradstreet.