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Religion in Colonial America was led by Christianity, though Judaism appeared in small communities from 1654 onward. Christian denominations encompassed Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, Congregationalists, German Pietists, Lutherans, Methodists, and Quakers. Religion was integral to colonists' lives, shaping their worldview.

New England Colonies were founded by separatists – Anglicans wanting split from the Church – and Puritans, who aimed to cleanse Anglicanism of Catholic remnants. Meanwhile, the Middle and Southern Colonies were established by Anglicans, Quakers, or—in Maryland’s case—Catholics and non-conformist Protestants. Despite a shared vision, biblical interpretations and practices varied among settlements, even within the same denomination. For example, Boston’s Puritans differed from Plymouth’s separatists and Salem’s Puritans, who also contrasted with Connecticut's. This was mirrored by Virginian and Carolina Anglicans.

Jews and Catholics, as minorities, faced periodic persecution, accused often of witchcraft and responsible for misfortunes. By 1700, Native American religious practices were denounced as satanic, performed secretly or discreetly. Atheism was banned, and deism didn't emerge until the 18th century. Protestant Christianity, trodden as 'revealed religion' (based on scriptures), dominated and shaped colonial culture, contributing with Protestant rationalism to the emergence and diversity of the U.S.A.

In New England, settlers from 1620-1638, persecuted in England, founded colonies prioritizing religious freedom, although they only tolerated their own beliefs; except for Rhode Island's settlements, which were open to broader religious tolerance. Religion governed colonists' lives, halting all activities from Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening, with Sundays dedicated to church. Services spanned most of the day, with a lunch intermission at a nearby Sabba-day house, obligating attendance until services ended. Sermons stretched three to five hours, fronted by Bible readings and hymns without instrumentation. Due to widespread illiteracy, a deacon led hymn-singing line by line, equating to substantial time allotted for prayer. On Sundays, colonists donned somber clothing symbolizing repentance, while church attendance was critical. A call signaled service start, prompting all to attend or face home inspections. Seating followed social rank, and any mischief by children, especially boys, led to public punishment.

In the Middle and Southern Colonies, once under Dutch control until 1664, policies of religious tolerance and diversity thrived. Jewish communities emerged in New Amsterdam in 1654, with the oldest Jewish residence, Gomez Mill House in NY, built around 1714. Although religious conflicts existed, they were less severe compared to New England's harsh punishments for dissenters.

In 1681, William Penn, a wealthy Quaker born in 1644, founded Pennsylvania. It was unique for welcoming various faiths and Native American tribes, promoting legal codes influenced by Quaker beliefs but not imposing rigid religious laws. People were expected to attend weekly services. Pennsylvania was the first colony to oppose slavery and mistreatment of Native Americans and was a pioneer in laws mandating religious tolerance and mutual respect among diverse faiths. Quaker meeting houses doubled as venues for town meetings and public notices. Stocks and pillories were typically placed outside these houses in town squares. Meeting houses across New York, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were unpainted due to vanity concerns. Made from wood or stone with oiled paper or glass windows, the interiors were dim with central and wall pews, sometimes featuring a rear gallery for lower classes, including African slaves and Native Americans.

Dutch Reformed churches in New York had bells hanging from trees or doors, while other denominations might use gunfire, a conch shell, or a drum to gather congregants, who were expected to attend regardless of conditions. Scholar Alice Morse Earle noted that churches were often unheated, remaining chilly from autumn to spring. Fur bags nailed to seats warmed feet in some early log meeting houses, which also allowed dogs inside, managed by appointed dog-whippers. Wolfskins provided insulation, and congregants used muffs and foot-stoves—coal-filled metal boxes on wood platforms—to stay warm.

In the Southern Colonies, warmth and comfort considerations were notable. Virginia's Jamestown Colony, founded in 1607, initially held church meetings in a fort. Church attendance was strictly enforced, with the Virginia Cavaliers ensuring Sunday observance rules. Sir Thomas Dale's laws mandated church attendance, with potential death penalties that were never executed. The Anglican Church dominated Virginia, where dissenters faced persecution, notably Baptists post-1750.

Maryland, a haven for Catholics, didn't require all-day Sunday mass. Protestant migrants from New England and the Middle Colonies overthrew Catholic leadership and reshaped it between 1644-1646, bringing Protestant dominance. Carolina and, later, Georgia showcased religious diversity, with significant Baptist and, often powerful, Anglican communities. Religion shaped daily life, but rituals like weddings and funerals weren't initially tied to church activities.

Marriages varied widely by region. Scholar David Freeman Hawke noted that, unlike the Anglican-controlled English ceremonies, American practices differed. While dowry negotiations and betrothals were standard, ceremonies varied. Dutch and Pennsylvania Germans used native languages. Quakers hosted self-conducted marriages in meeting houses. In the South, Anglican rites followed the Book of Common Prayer, with local governments intervening in church affairs. New England marriages could be officiated by any reputable man over 21, and marriages in some areas were civil rather than religious, occasionally leading to cohabitation without ceremonies, which was often seen as scandalous

Funerals became more standardized over time, always led by a religious cleric from the deceased’s denomination. The body was prepared at home by female family members, then buried on the family’s property, in a town cemetery, or eventually in a churchyard. Early tombstones were simple stone slabs placed at the foot of the grave, believed to prevent the deceased’s spirit from walking out. This was based on the Christian belief that God would raise the dead at the Last Judgment, but some spirits might try to return home early. These stones eventually became headstones, evolving into more elaborate monuments, inscribed to honor the dead, placed at the head of the grave where the spirit could "see" and rest in peace.

Funeral traditions also changed from simple gatherings of family and close friends to larger social events where neighbors were invited to pay their respects and share a communal meal. Over time, these meals became feasts, and even those of modest means would give expensive gifts like scarves, gloves, and even gold rings to attendees. As John C. Miller noted, funerals turned into an opportunity for a display of wealth, sometimes even more than an expression of grief.

Puritans in New England followed this trend, with elaborate funeral feasts becoming part of the ceremony. The once-modest graveside service evolved into a more involved affair, with families paying ministers to deliver full sermons and eulogies, believed to ensure the dead would rest peacefully and not return to haunt the living.

Superstitions & Slavery What we now call superstitions were seen as facts of life by the colonists. They believed in ghosts, witches, demons, angels, and other spirits, as the Bible, which they saw as the inerrant word of God, confirmed their existence. God was thought to provide signs and omens to help people understand the world, both seen and unseen. For example, thunder at a funeral was a good omen if it occurred after the service, indicating the spirit had reached heaven. However, if it happened during the ceremony, it was seen as a sign the spirit was condemned to hell.

Superstition also shaped the colonists' views on slavery. Many believed that slavery was part of God’s plan, supported by biblical texts like Ephesians 6:5, which instructed slaves to obey their masters. Those who opposed slavery were often viewed as troublemakers, lacking a proper understanding of God’s word. While the Province of Pennsylvania condemned slavery, it was still accepted and practiced across the colonies, including Pennsylvania at times. African and Native Americans were regularly enslaved by white colonists from around 1640 until the end of the Civil War in 1865.

In many colonies, particularly in the South, teaching slaves to read was illegal, even if it meant reading the Bible. An educated slave was seen as a potential threat, capable of stirring rebellion or endangering their soul by pursuing something believed to be outside God’s plan.

Conclusion

Despite their differences, the colonists and their various congregations agreed on the principle from Ecclesiastes 5:2 – "God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few." God’s existence was a reality, and humans were subject to God's will as revealed in the Bible, with no right to question its authority. However, each Christian denomination defined that authority, and those who disagreed, unless executed for dissent, could leave and form their own colonies with different interpretations of the Bible.

The Massachusetts Bay Colony, by exiling dissenters, inspired the colonization of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. Between 1659 and 1661, the colony executed Quakers (the Boston Martyrs) for spreading disruptive beliefs. In the Middle Colonies, those who opposed religious diversity often migrated to the Southern Colonies, especially Maryland and Virginia, where Anglicanism was firmly established by around 1700.

Religious diversity and conflicts continued through the 18th century. However, after the Great Awakening in the 1730s and 1740s – a spiritual revival promoting a personal relationship with God – Protestant Rationalism gained influence among the upper classes, which gradually spread to the lower classes. The Founding Fathers leaned toward natural religion, where God's existence was evident through the natural world, rather than revealed religion, which was based on scripture.

Rationalist philosophers began to shape colonial culture, challenging past beliefs such as the divine right of kings and other God-ordained authorities. Although revealed religion remained a significant part of American culture, natural religion and Protestant Rationalism helped spark the movement that ultimately led to the American War of Independence (1775-1783) and the creation of the United States of America.