Child-rearing in Puritan New England

1. Using the primary sources in chapter 2, child-rearing in Puritan New England was described as the responsibility of Puritan parents. By introducing their children to the importance of education, Puritan parents agreed that child-rearing is a methods that will help ensure their children’s spiritual welfare (Hollitz, 22). The two main goals Puritans taught their children are reading and writing. It is a system they believed that will properly mold their offspring. Parents also taught basic beliefs of religion and principles of government to their children (Hollitz, 22). Puritans took child-rearing very seriously; by using different practices to help the children’s writing development, they are responsible to write: diaries, journals, letters, histories, sermons, and notes on sermons. Although Puritan husband have the power within the household, other than house chore and wifely duties, the mother is mostly in charge of child rearing and provided their child with the proper education on reading, writing, and spiritual (Hollitz, 23).

From my experiences growing up in the twentieth century, both my parent did not took a major role in my education process. They trusted the school to educate me by following the standards and so they did not interfere much with my school life. Another reason why my parent did not became too involve in my education life like the Puritans do with their children was because they were too busy with their work schedules that they have to rely on the school to properly educate me. However, in terms of my spiritual and religious well being, my parent did widely expose me to Buddhism. They taught me the basic beliefs and the five main rules that will help me guild my life in the right path. Similar...

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...eriences. I was able to learn in depth, about the extensive and agonizing journey immigrants experienced to arrive to America by reading from the primary sources which gave me a better understanding of their situations. For example, I learned that if a husband or wife died half way sea, the other person is held responsible for paying for the dead (Hollitz, 45). The pictures and maps also enhanced the way information can be interpreted through primary sources. The paintings of Puritan children clearly demonstrate their feelings and attitude. I was able to see through their uncomfortable position, life style, and virtue by observing their posture, facial expression, and the way they dress. The primary source documents turned out to be very useful in many ways that assisted me to come up with a better understanding in details with chapter 2-4 in Give Me Liberty.