The Puritans (History 101)

The Puritans were a religious group that emigrated to the United States from England, seeking religious sanctuary. Their religion was inextricably entwined with their governing laws, and this not only helped to shape their colony and their lives, but led to later tragedies that serve as a chilling example of why church and state should be kept separate. The Puritan model for humanity's ideal relationship with their divinity was the perfect submission and deference of women to male authority. Due to this belief and to the entanglement of church and state, their societal norms, as well as their civil laws, reflected the subordination of women to men. The perfect housewife, also known as a "goodwife," submitted to her husband's authority, as families fell under male headship. Unlike most of the other colonial invaders, three-quarters of the Puritans emigrated as couples or family units, which strengthened their isolationist views and reinforced their belief that family was the key to social order.