Puritan Influence On American Culture

One of the biggest influences on European settlers was their Puritan ideology that they brought with them. They believed that the Lord had chosen them to lead the other countries, ignoring the fact that other civilizations may have had their own beliefs and religious practices. John Winthrop, a Puritan leader, believed that the Puritan ideology was the only religion to follow. The idea of Manifest Destiny, which was the idea of expanding the country from coast to coast also justified international expansion. The superior moral values and ethics were associated with American ideals. It was the duty of the United States to expand the American way of life to other areas of the world as they felt they would benefit from their way of life, religion, and culture. North America was viewed as a …show more content…
Many held the view that the country was unique and it drew the immigrants who wanted a new life, free property, and freedom. Manifest Destiny was created with the belief in white racial superiority and a sense of American cultural advantage, and this also shaped their politics. Reconstruction embodied a Northern idea of American identity and national purpose which led to conflicts over new definitions of citizenship. However, the explanations and justifications that Europeans made to themselves were that they were superior to non-European peoples.

There were some racist ideas widely believed by Europeans; therefore, whites were superior to non-whites. The white man had the duty and responsibility of bringing their superior civilization to the savages of the non-European world. Social Darwinism was based on the belief that white Europeans were considered more fit in the struggle for survival. Christianity was the only real religion. If American history is so morally superior, how could slavery, civil rights violations, and social welfare issues, ever be justified? The way in which African slaves and Native Americans