Why was religion so important in 17th century America?

Answer by shari
Submitted on 6/10/2004
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Religion was a very important factor for the colonists of the 'new world' because of the hardships that they experienced. It has been found throughout the centuries that when one experiences immense psychological and/or physical hardships, the 'latent sense', as Colin Wilson describes the sense of connection with something higher than ones self in his "The Occult," kicks in to high gear. Therefore, with a skewed sense of life and being, seventeenth century clergy may have, with the Salem Witch trials ad other religious misdemeanors, brought the latent sense past its normal bearings. This may even lend to an explanation of the Native American relations with colonists and the skewed perception colonists had with the Native Americans. William Bradford even described the Native Americans of Plymouth plantation as being of the devil, and the forest in which they live the devil's last hold upon the earth. This is, of course, not to excuse the decades of maltreatment of Native Americans, for as a Cherokee myself, I have felt my ancestors pain throughout my life. But it does at least give us a framework to judge the colonists views in all aspects of their daily life including religion.

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