The Puritans

• The Puritans were religious zealots seeking to enforce their beliefs. The term "Puritan" was initially mocking but embraced by them. They followed the Protestant Reformation, sparked by Martin Luther's 95 theses in 1517.

• John Calvin's Calvinism, emphasizing predestination, heavily influenced Puritan beliefs. They aimed to separate English Protestants from Roman Catholic traditions.

• England's reformation began with King Henry VIII, who broke with the Pope and declared himself head of the Church of England. The Puritans sought to cleanse the Church of Catholic vestiges.

• During Mary I's reign, Catholicism was restored, and Protestants were persecuted. Subsequent monarchs attempted to balance Catholicism and Protestantism.

• In 1572, "Admonition to the Parliament" criticized slow reforms in the Church of England. Queen Elizabeth I maintained the status quo but supported Protestant causes abroad.

• After Elizabeth's death in 1603, Puritans hoped for progress under James Stewart, but he was uninterested in most Puritan suggestions. He did, however, agree to a new English translation of the Bible, the King James Bible.

• Puritans faced opposition over priestly vestments, and some separated from the Church of England. King James I was a Calvinist, but Arminianism gained traction.

• Puritans were upset when King James restricted teaching on predestination and allowed his son Charles to marry a French Catholic princess.

- When Charles I ascended to the throne in 1625 and practiced Catholicism, many Puritans sought refuge in America.