The Puritans: The Religion That Built & Broke America

Bailee and Ashley take a historical detour—unpacking how the Puritans didn’t just influence early America, but laid the ideological groundwork for today’s alt-right evangelical movement. They trace the through-line from 1600s moral rigidity to modern Christian nationalism, purity culture, and the political power structures we still feel today.From the myth-making around the “First Thanksgiving” to the Puritans’ obsession with control, conformity, and divine exceptionalism, they break down how these roots continue to shape American evangelical identity. Sources: Bradford, W. (1856). Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620–1647. Houghton, Mifflin and Company.Cave, A. A. (1996). The Pequot War. University of Massachusetts Press. Karr, R. D. (1998). The violence of the Pequot War. The New England Quarterly, 71(1), 26–49.Lincoln, A. (1863). Proclamation 103—Day of Thanksgiving, Praise, and Prayer. The American Presidency Project. Retrieved from https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-103-day-thanksgiving-praise-and-prayer-august-6-1863Morison, S. E. (Ed.). (1967). Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620–1647. Houghton Mifflin.Winthrop, J. (1630). A Modell of Christian Charity. Retrieved from https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/a-model-of-christian-charity-2/Connect with Us:📸 Instagram: @praisebetopod🎵 TikTok: @praisebetopod▶️ YouTube: @praisebetopod💻 Web: www.praisebetopod.com💸 Patreon: patreon.com/praisebetopod