The Influence of Puritanism on the Shaping of Traditional American Values

Abstract

The Paper, starting from a study of Puritanism, tentatively explores the functions of Puritanism in conceiving American culture as a whole, and traditional American values in particular, and concludes that the traditional American values characterized by individual freedom and self-reliance, material wealth and hard work, respect for education and pioneering spirit are mostly credited to Puritanism.