You Can't Handle the Truth:
Arthur Miller's The Crucible
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Lesson #1: Who are the Puritans?
The Puritans were an English religious group who came to the present-day United States to practice their religion without interference from the Church of England. The Puritans were pilgrims, but not all pilgrims were Puritans. Most Puritans settled in towns in coastal Massachusetts just slightly north of Boston.
The Puritans had their own unique community and cultural practices, most of them based on their religious beliefs. It's important for us to understand the Puritan customs and culture before we can begin reading The Crucible, which takes place in one of these Puritan communities: Salem, Massachusetts.
Read the information contained in the links below. Then, you will form into groups to write a "Guide to Puritan Life." This should resemble an instruction guide to living the life of a Puritan in the New World circa 1692. What were the rules of the community? What things were very important to the Puritans? What things were taboo?
(Teachers: see the student work page below for the class's Guide to Puritan Life)
lessons | student work | writing assignments | resources | opening page