01:050:101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: American Exceptionalism, Manifest Destiny

• School: Rutgers University
• Department: American Studies
• Course: 01:050:101
• Professor: Jefferson Decker

Document Summary

Discussion today of the in uence of certain ideas based in christianity on u. s culture and identity. I"m not suggesting that the u. s. is (or is not) a christian nation, whatever that might mean. Just suggesting that certain ideas derived from christianity have in uenced u. s. culture in crucial ways. Will begin by reviewing the protestant reformation. John winthrop (1587-1649) was an english puritan who led the massachusetts bay. Perry miller is writing about winthrop and those who followed him. Puritans were members of the church of england who had a highly rationalized version of christian faith. They also wanted to purge of the church of england of any vestiges of catholicism and english society of sin. Winthrop was not a pilgrim (known at the time as separatists) from your kindergarten. The puritans were not forced out of england because of their religion.