Constitutional Rights Foundation
Puritan Massachusetts: Theocracy or Democracy?
Was Puritan society governed as more of a theocracy or democracy? After comparing and contrasting a series of primary source documents, middle and high schoolers form small groups and debate the question.
What So Proudly We Hail
A Lesson on Benjamin Franklin’s “Project for Moral Perfection”
Benjamin Franklin identified 13 virtues that he felt would strengthen his character if he could focus on each one. A thorough lesson explores high schoolers' personal values in the context of their lives, and compels them to strive for...
Louisiana Department of Education
The Scarlet Letter
Use Nathanial Hawthorne's immortal text on the influence of religion on the early American settlements, as well as its continued impact on American culture, with a unit that focuses on The Scarlet Letter. In addition to Hawthorne's...
Curated OER
Nathaniel Hawthorne's—The Scarlet Letter
Designed for teachers, this guide to The Scarlet Letter is divided into background information about Hawthorne and Puritan New England, suggestions for teaching various ability levels, and ideas for extensions that include...
Simon & Schuster
Curriculum Guide: The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter may be a classic, but keeping high schoolers engaged in the reading of Hawthorne's vocabulary, syntax, imagery, and historical references presents it own set of challenges. Here's a guide that offers readers...
McGraw Hill
Study Guide for The Scarlet Letter
How does or society punish people who break the law? What effect does guilt have on a person's life? In what way does or society demand we conform to certain conventions? Such questions, found in this study guide, are sure to...
Curated OER
Puritan Ideals: Background Notes
Explore Puritanism and Puritan values with your high schoolers. A general overview is provided, and Puritan laws, family life, plainness, and temptation are all covered. Pictures and an occassional cartoon keep the presentation...
Curated OER
The Reformation
Fifth graders identify key events of the Reformation. They recognize the impact of religion during the Middle Ages.
Curated OER
Southern Puritanism and Tennessee Williams
Students write an essay comparing Arthur Mille's The Crucible and one of Tennessee Williams' plays. In this Tennessee Williams lesson, students discuss the influence of Puritanism on modern American drama. Lesson includes...
Curated OER
Worksheet #23 Questions - Puritanism
In this Puritanism quiz worksheet, students answer ten fill in the blank questions to further their understanding of the aforementioned topic.
Curated OER
Joseph Bellamy House
Students use maps, readings, drawings and photos to research the career and importance of Reverend Joseph Bellamy as a religious leader in New England during the Great Awakening. They also identify the basic principles of Puritanism.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Teacher Serve: Evangelicalism as a Social Movement
Resource in which the author helps us understand Evangelicalism as a religious movement as well as a social movement that ultimately helped transfom American society. Links to online resources.
University of South Florida
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Lit2 Go: N. Hawthorne: The Scarlet Letter
The complete text of Hawthorne's classic novel, "The Scarlet Letter." The text can be read online or downloaded by individual chapters in MP3 or PDF format. In addition, each chapter has downloadable support material which focuses on...
![Penguin Random House: "The Scarlet Letter" Teacher Guide [Pdf] Website](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Penguin Random House: \"The Scarlet Letter\" Teacher Guide [Pdf] Website")
Penguin Publishing
Penguin Random House: "The Scarlet Letter" Teacher Guide [Pdf]
Teacher guide for "The Scarlet Letter" commences with excellent introductory information, synopsis, commentary, and pertinent biographical/historical resources. Questions cover themes, language, characters, setting, symbolism, etc....
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: American Literary Time Periods and Mla Format Introduction
This is an introduction to a unit on American Literary Time Periods and the MLA Format. It features an interactive that provides definitions of the nine literary time periods and links to American Literature background information and...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: American Literature: American Literary Time Periods
This lesson focuses on American Literature literary time periods and a timeline including: Puritanism, Rationalism, Romanticism, Modernism, and Postmodernism. A link to a chart of the time periods and the characteristics of each. It also...
Huntington Library
Huntington Library: Religious Dissent [Pdf]
This lesson supplements one on the "Settlement of the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay Colonies of New England." It looks at religious dissent and intolerance among the Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Students look at Roger...
Bibliomania
Bibliomania: The New England Clergy
This resource examines the literature and theology of the New England Puritan clergy. Includes information about Thomas Hooker, Thomas Shepard, John Cotton, Nathaniel Ward, Roger Williams, John Eliot, Richard Mather, Increase Mather, and...
Other
American Journeys: French and English Approaches to Exploration [Pdf]
A lengthy lesson plan that examines French and English approaches to exploration and colonization in reference to religious factors. Using primary sources from French missionary Gabriel Sagard and Wiliam Bradford, first governor of...
Digital History
Digital History: The Puritans
This article paints a picture of Puritans somewhat different from common myth. Read about their ideas of separation of church and state, and even their love of color.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Plymouth Colony Research Starters: Plymouth Colony
This site is an online resource focused on the Plymouth Colony. The site hosts research starters concerning the life and times of the Plymouth colony.
Other
Bible Prophecy: The Root of American Religious Liberty Roger Williams
A detailed explanation of the complex debate between John Cotton and Roger Williams about religious and civil liberty.
BBC
Bbc History: British History: Civil War: Personality and Politics of Charles I
The author discusses how Charles I, at least in part, brought about his own defeat because he allowed his personality to have too much influence on the manner in which he ruled England. Archived.
Washington State University
Washington State University: Literary Movements: Puritanism in New England
Good overview of the beliefs, theology, church membership, and literary style of the Puritans. Contains a good bibliography for more resources.