Puritan Childhood
This practice involved sending children to live with other families to receive training and learn discipline.
What is "sending out"?
Puritan boys typically spent their days engaged in this outdoor activity, while girls assisted with household chores.
What is hunting or working in the fields?
This was the most important book for Puritan children, used both in education and spiritual training.
What is the Bible?
At this age, Puritan children were expected to begin contributing to the family through work.
What is four or five years old?
This Puritan belief in hard work and responsibility has carried over into modern American culture.
What is the Protestant work ethic?
Puritan parents often discouraged this behavior to prepare children for obedience to God's laws.
What is showing affection?
Unlike today, children's clothing was simple and often made from this material, reflecting their humble lifestyle.
What is linen or wool?
The Puritans established this institution in 1636, primarily to train ministers.
What is Harvard College?
Disobedient children could expect this type of severe consequence.
What is whipping or beating?
Puritan educational practices laid the groundwork for this modern American institution.
What is the public school system?
These items were rarely seen in Puritan households because they were considered distractions from religious and work duties.
What are toys and games?
This household item was often inscribed with scripture and used by babies in wealthy Puritan families.
What is an embroidered silk blanket?
This was the primary reason Puritans emphasized literacy among children.
What is to read and interpret the Bible?
Puritan parents believed they needed to break children's natural pride and stubbornness to teach this virtue.
What is humility?
The migration of Puritans to the New World is an early example of this global issue.
What is displacement or forced migration?
From a very young age, Puritan children were required to perform these duties around the house and farm.
What are chores?
This was the fate of Puritan children whose parents failed in their duties to raise them properly.
What is being taken away and placed as an apprentice?
The Massachusetts law of 1642 mandated that all children be taught this basic skill.
What is reading?
At this age, Puritan children were expected to begin contributing to the family through work. what was each person responsible for
What is four or five years old?
The strict way Puritan parents raised their children in the 17th century was influenced by the broader fear of this, which was seen as a threat to their religious community.
What is moral corruption?
Children who fell asleep during this weekly event faced being rudely awakened with a stick.
What is a church service?
Puritan families often read from this book during meals to teach religious values.
What is the Bible?
Puritans believed that ignorance was the devil's tool, so they promoted this aspect of life to combat it.
What is education?
This was a common punishment for children who spoke out of turn or disrespected their elders.
What is public shaming or being sent to work as an apprentice?
This aspect of Puritanism, focusing on the collective over the individual, contrasts with modern American values.
What is individualism?