The Puritans founded Harvard College at Newtowne in 1636. Three years later, they renamed the city of Cambridge to honor the British city where many of the colonists had studied. What does this fact reveal about the group who fled England?
What do you think?
I have absolutely no idea.
Maybe this fact reveals that the Puritans had studied in Cambridge?
Yes.
Maybe they still had some loyalty to Cambridge University, even though they fled England?
This fact reveals a few key aspects about the Puritans who fled England and established Harvard College:
1. Education and Intellectualism: The fact that the Puritans founded Harvard College highlights their commitment to higher education and intellectual pursuits. Despite the challenges they faced as a religious minority in a new land, they understood the importance of educating future generations and creating a center for higher learning.
To uncover more about this aspect, you can consider studying the educational background of the Puritans before they left England and understanding the curriculum and goals of Harvard College during its early years.
2. Cultural Continuity: By renaming the city of Newtowne to Cambridge, the Puritans showed their desire to maintain a connection with the British city where many of them had studied. This suggests a sense of cultural continuity and a strong identification with their English roots. It also demonstrates a desire to establish institutions in the New World that mirrored or honored the institutions they were familiar with in England.
To explore this further, you can delve into the reasons behind the naming choice, the experiences of the Puritans in the British city of Cambridge, and the broader cultural and historical context of the time.
Overall, this fact signifies the Puritans' value for education, the transmission of knowledge, and their efforts to establish a sense of cultural continuity in their new colony.