About Religion in Colonial Times
Religion was a critical part of life in Colonial America. However, it was more varied and diverse than many people realize. Many immigrants, particularly in the earlier Colonial period, fled their homes to avoid religious persecution, creating communities that celebrated and allowed their faiths in this new land.
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Time Frame
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Religion in Colonial America was a prominent force from the first settlers onward. The earliest settlers in New England brought Puritanism to this country, creating a significant social order centered around their religious beliefs. Puritanism remained dominant in New England through around 1650, when religious extremism took over in many communities. In other colonies, like Virginia, the Church of England was the legal faith of the colony. Immigration to the colonies increased after 1690, bringing individuals with diverse spiritual beliefs, including Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Jews, and Quakers.
History
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While history classes often teach about the Puritans, in reality, the history of religion in Colonial America is much more diverse than just Puritanism. Even today, the religious beliefs of early settlers remain in the culture of individual regions, and America's continuing commitment to freedom of religion is a sign of the persecution faced by many before they left their home countries. Both Puritans and Catholics fled persecution in England, while others immigrated for social or financial reasons. Huguenots fled France to avoid persecution and Lutherans immigrated to escape religious restrictions in Germany and Austria. Catholics left Protestant controlled regions of Europe for the freedom of the colonies, as well.
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Significance
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Religion in Colonial America was a defining characteristic of any community. A Puritan community lived by the rules and moral codes of their faith and was a very different place than a town in Virginia. In New England, the bible was the basis for all laws and regulations. Other colonies established laws and moral codes based on more secular ideals.
Types
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Those living in the Colonies included Protestants of nearly every variety: Catholics, Quakers, and by the mid-eighteenth century, Deists, as well. Just as we see today, small theological details could often create significant divides between similar faiths. On the whole, the majority of churches in Colonial America functioned fairly independently of one another, even within the same faith. In the most fundamental sense, most of these denominations believed rather strongly in the correctness of their own interpretation of faith, creating difficulties in larger communities and for those who did not comply with the community belief systems.
Misconceptions
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A number of misconceptions remain about Colonial religion. Many of us assume that all of those living in the Colonies in the 17th century were Puritans, imaging staunch black suits with white collars and stringent morals. Many colonies were largely secular, offering shelter for a diverse range of religions. The morality in those colonies was often less strict, and records show that there were issues with gaming, prostitution, adultery, and drunkenness.
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