arrival in America, they became more and more practical, they became more and more preoccupied with business and profits, as indeed they had to be. Puritans' lives were extremely disciplined and hard. They drove out of their settlements all those opinions that seemed dangerous to them And history has criticized their actions. They were also determined to find a place where they could worship in the way they thought true Christians should. They meant to reestablish a commonwealth, based on the teachings of the Bible, restore the lost paradise and build the wilderness into a new Garden of eden Influence of puritanism sense of mission symbolism, and simple style 2. Literature of this period: 1)Characteristics: Not independent, but based on British literary traditions. The first American literature was not written by an American, but by John Smith, a British captain. Mostarrival in America, they became more and more practical, they became more and more preoccupied with business and profits, as indeed they had to be. Puritans’ lives were extremely disciplined and hard. They drove out of their settlements all those opinions that seemed dangerous to them. And history has criticized their actions. They were also determined to find a place where they could worship in the way they thought true Christians should. They meant to reestablish a commonwealth, based on the teachings of the Bible, restore the lost paradise and build the wilderness into a new Garden of Eden. Influence of Puritanism: sense of mission, symbolism, and simple style. 2. Literature of this period: 1)Characteristics: Not independent, but based on British literary traditions. The first American literature was not written by an American, but by John Smith, a British captain. Most