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The Resource A reforming people : Puritanism and the transformation of public life in New England, David D. Hall

A reforming people : Puritanism and the transformation of public life in New England, David D. Hall

Creator
Summary
This work is an account of the aspirations and accomplishments of the people who founded the New England colonies, comparing the reforms they enacted with those attempted in England during the period of the English Revolution. The author, a historian looks afresh at how the colonists set up churches, civil governments, and methods for distributing land. Bringing with them a deep fear of arbitrary, unlimited authority grounded in either church or state, these settlers based their churches on the participation of laypeople and insisted on consent as a premise of all civil governance. Encouraging broad participation and relying on the vigorous use of petitioning, they also transformed civil and criminal law and the workings of courts. The outcome was a civil society far less authoritarian and hierarchical than was customary in their age, indeed, a society so advanced that a few dared to describe it as "democratical." They were well ahead of their time in doing so. As Puritans, the colonists also hoped to exemplify a social ethics of equity, peace, and the common good. In a case study of a single town, the author follows a minister as he encourages the townspeople to live up to these high standards in their politics. This is a book that challenges us to discard long standing stereotypes of the Puritans as temperamentally authoritarian and their leadership as despotic. The author demonstrates exactly the opposite. Here, we watch the colonists as they insist on aligning institutions and social practice with equity and liberty. This re-evaluation of the earliest moments of New England's history, reveals the colonists to be the most effective and daring reformers of their day
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Edition
1st ed.
Extent
xvii, 255 pages
Contents
  • "Arbitrary" or "democratical"? : the making of colony governments
  • Land, taxes, and participation : the making of town governments
  • Godly rule: empowering the saints
  • An equitable society: ethics, the law, and authority
  • "Already in heaven"? : church and community in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Isbn
9780679441175
Link
Instance
Label
A reforming people : Puritanism and the transformation of public life in New England
Title
A reforming people
Title remainder
Puritanism and the transformation of public life in New England
Statement of responsibility
David D. Hall
Creator
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
This work is an account of the aspirations and accomplishments of the people who founded the New England colonies, comparing the reforms they enacted with those attempted in England during the period of the English Revolution. The author, a historian looks afresh at how the colonists set up churches, civil governments, and methods for distributing land. Bringing with them a deep fear of arbitrary, unlimited authority grounded in either church or state, these settlers based their churches on the participation of laypeople and insisted on consent as a premise of all civil governance. Encouraging broad participation and relying on the vigorous use of petitioning, they also transformed civil and criminal law and the workings of courts. The outcome was a civil society far less authoritarian and hierarchical than was customary in their age, indeed, a society so advanced that a few dared to describe it as "democratical." They were well ahead of their time in doing so. As Puritans, the colonists also hoped to exemplify a social ethics of equity, peace, and the common good. In a case study of a single town, the author follows a minister as he encourages the townspeople to live up to these high standards in their politics. This is a book that challenges us to discard long standing stereotypes of the Puritans as temperamentally authoritarian and their leadership as despotic. The author demonstrates exactly the opposite. Here, we watch the colonists as they insist on aligning institutions and social practice with equity and liberty. This re-evaluation of the earliest moments of New England's history, reveals the colonists to be the most effective and daring reformers of their day
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Hall, David D
Dewey number
974/.02
Index
index present
LC call number
F7
LC item number
.H227 2011
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • New England
  • New England
  • New England
  • Puritans
  • Local government
  • Religion and politics
  • Local government
  • Politics and government
  • Puritans
  • Religion and politics
  • New England
  • Puritanismus
  • Neuengland
  • Puritanismus
  • New England
  • New England
  • New England
  • New England
  • Puritans
  • Local government
  • Religion and politics
  • Puritaner
  • Religion och politik
  • Kyrkohistoria
  • New England
  • New England
  • New England
  • New England
  • Puritans
  • Local government
  • Religion and politics
Label
A reforming people : Puritanism and the transformation of public life in New England, David D. Hall
Link
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
"Arbitrary" or "democratical"? : the making of colony governments -- Land, taxes, and participation : the making of town governments -- Godly rule: empowering the saints -- An equitable society: ethics, the law, and authority -- "Already in heaven"? : church and community in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Control code
ocn654311555
Dimensions
25 cm
Edition
1st ed.
Extent
xvii, 255 pages
Isbn
9780679441175
Lccn
2010051851
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
n
System control number
(OCoLC)654311555
Label
A reforming people : Puritanism and the transformation of public life in New England, David D. Hall
Link
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
"Arbitrary" or "democratical"? : the making of colony governments -- Land, taxes, and participation : the making of town governments -- Godly rule: empowering the saints -- An equitable society: ethics, the law, and authority -- "Already in heaven"? : church and community in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Control code
ocn654311555
Dimensions
25 cm
Edition
1st ed.
Extent
xvii, 255 pages
Isbn
9780679441175
Lccn
2010051851
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
n
System control number
(OCoLC)654311555

Subject

Genre

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