pilgrims compared to puritans?

Answer 1

It's a bit misleading to contrast the two. "Puritan" is a more general term for groups of Protestants in England who sought further reforms in the church (to "purify" it). Over time some of these groups advocating doing so by separating from the Church of England.

Thus the "Pilgrim Fathers" who fled to Leiden, then to New England on the Mayflower, were Puritans. "Pilgrims" is the name that has stuck for this particular group of English Separatists. Their beliefs, however, were not materially different from those of the Puritans settlers who followed them to New England in the 1630s. Though it is legitimate to compare and contrast the history of the "Plymouth Plantation" of the "Pilgrims" and the organization of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the differences are not about a different belief system.

It is often stated that this is the name these first New England settlers called themselves by. This too is misleading. They did use the terminology at times, basing it on biblical language about Christians being strangers and pilgrims in the world. But it was not their "title". The terminology of THE "Pilgrims" (capitalized) and "Pilgrims Fathers" became popular later, particuarly in the 19th century when their story was retold as part of the campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.

"Pilgrim Fathers "English Puritans who founded Plymouth colony" is first found 1799 (they called themselves Pilgrims from c.1630, in allusion to Heb. xi.13)."
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=pilgrim+fathers&searchmode=none

Actually, the "Puritans" did not even usually call themselves by THAT name! "Puritans" originated as a taunt by outsiders. Other names for such groups included "Dissenters" (esp in the 1630s).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrims
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puritan
http://pilgrims.net/plymouth/history/mayflower.html

Answer 2

It all started in England. The Puritans were a religious group that believed the official Anglican church needed to be "purified". A Puritan splinter group known as the "Separatists" moved to the Netherlands to practice their religion in peace, and later a group of these Separatists, augmented by more Separatists from England, sailed on the Mayflower to the New World where they established Plymouth (or Plimoth) Colony in 1620.

This group called themselves "Pilgrims", and they'll always be remembered as the Pilgrims. There's a book called "Mayflower" currently on the bestseller list that tells all about the Pilgrims up until the end of King Philip's War (sometime after 1650).

The Pilgrims had a tough time in Massachusetts, especially during that first decade 1620-30. Many died, but the colony survived. For the most part, the Pilgrims kept to themselves, established reasonably friendly relations with the local Indians, and were not much interested in expansion.

A larger and more prosperous group of Puritans began arriving in about 1630 -- ten years after the Pilgrims -- and they established the town of Boston, which had a much better harbor than Plymouth. The establishment of Boston marked the beginning of a steady stream of immigrants that has continued, more or less, to this day.

Although the religious doctrines of the early Pilgrims and the later Puritans were pretty much the same (Calvinist), the Puritans established and enforced a theocratic government. The Pilgrims had a theocracy too, but since all the Pilgrims were like-minded, enforcement was not really an issue.

For the Puritans, however, everyone had to conform, and non-conformists were banished. This led to the establishment of other colonies such as Connecticut (Hartford), New Haven, and Rhode Island.

The Puritans were more dynamic and more expansionist than the original Pilgrims, and in time (1692, I think) the Plymouth Colony was merged into the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Although we remember the Pilgrims for the Mayflower Compact, for Thanksgiving, for Plymouth Rock, and for being the first colonists in New England, it's the Puritan ethic that gave New England its character, and that's what has been transmitted to us over nearly the last four centuries.

I hope this distinguishes for you the Pilgrims as compared with the Puritans. Bottom line is that they were very similar, but there were diffeences too.

Answer 3

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RE:
pilgrims compared to puritans?

Answer 4

Same People. Before the English Civil War (England and Scotland did not officially unite their crowns until 1707) Puritans were persecuted for being Protestants. The Pilgrims were Puritans that left England to move to the Netherlands. Then some of them moved from the Netherlands to where Massachusetts is now after getting a Charter from the King of England. They were originally going to settle in Virginia but were blown off course

Answer 5

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