The first arrivals of the northern colonists brought
with them their Puritan religion, based on Calvinist doctrine. This doctrine
can be defined as:
". . . the distinctive characteristics of Calvinism . . . are known as the Five Points: (1) total depravity, man's natural inability to exercise free will, since through Adam's fall he has suffered hereditary corruption; (2) unconditional election, which manifests itself through God's wisdom to elect those to be saved, despite their inability to perform saving works; (3) permanent and irresistible grace, that anticipatory grace made available only to the elect; (4) limited atonement, man's hereditary corruption being partially atoned for by Christ . . . giving [mankind] the power to attempt to obey God's will as revealed through the Bible." The literature during this period was mostly religious
in nature. The strict regulations placed on society would not allow for
anything else. Some authors include William Bradford and John Winthrop.
These men established an American precedent with their Calvinist writings,
that America was a "city on a hill” and the ones chosen to lead God’s people.
Nathaniel Hawthorne was later to write a book criticizing Puritanism as
hypocritical.
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