The Puritans are among the most misunderstood people in American history. We remember them as dour, repressive killjoys — the people who banned Christmas and burned witches. The truth is stranger, richer, and more relevant than the caricature.
This newsletter publishes short essays exploring what the Puritans actually wrote and believed, drawing on primary sources — sermons, court records, personal letters, and town meeting minutes. Each piece contrasts the popular myth with the historical reality, and asks what the gap between the two reveals about modern assumptions.
New articles published weekly. Free and paid tiers available.