Religion in the Colonies Quiz

What was the primary vision behind John Winthrop’s “City Upon a Hill”?

• A society where democratic ideals and religious freedom flourished for all colonists

• A utopian community rooted in Puritan religious principles, intended to serve as a moral example for the world

• A commercially prosperous colony that would demonstrate the benefits of mercantilist policies

• A political alliance between church and state modeled after English constitutional monarchy

Which of the following best explains why Puritans in New England placed a strong emphasis on literacy?

• They believed educated ministers were needed to lead religious ceremonies in Latin.

• They sought to promote Enlightenment rationalism in contrast to traditional religious beliefs.

• They believed that every individual should be able to read and interpret the Bible personally.

• They aimed to replicate the Catholic model of scriptural hierarchy and centralized control.

How did Calvinist beliefs about predestination influence Puritan practices regarding church membership in New England?

• Because Calvinism taught that salvation could be earned through good works, Puritan churches admitted all who demonstrated moral behavior in the community.

• Since Puritans believed God had already chosen the elect, church membership was limited to those who publicly demonstrated signs of being among the saved through a personal conversion narrative.

• The doctrine of predestination led to widespread religious tolerance, as Puritans welcomed differing views on salvation and grace.

• Calvinist theology emphasized clerical authority, so only ordained ministers were permitted to join the church as full members.

Which of the following best explains the combination of factors that contributed to the outbreak of the Salem Witch Trials in 1692?

• A worldview that interpreted all events as signs of God’s will, traumatic fear of Native attacks, and social tensions with suspicious or threatening neighbors.

• The strict separation of church and state, along with increasing Catholic influence, caused widespread panic.

• Enlightenment rationalism and the growth of scientific thought led Puritans to reject religious explanations for suffering.

• Economic depression, mass immigration, and increased tolerance of religious dissent destabilized the colony’s legal system.

Which of the following best explains why Puritan authorities in Massachusetts Bay viewed Roger Williams as a threat?

• He attempted to convert Puritans to Catholicism and rejected the Bible as a religious authority.

• He denied the existence of God and advocated for open rebellion against colonial leaders.

• He challenged Puritan authority and opposed the use of government to enforce religious conformity.

• He supported the inclusion of Indigenous people in the Puritan church and encouraged the formation of a theocracy in Delaware.

Why did Puritan leaders in Massachusetts Bay consider Anne Hutchinson a serious threat to their religious and social order?

• She led a separatist rebellion to form a new colony with Native allies.

• She rejected the Bible and instead promoted Enlightenment rationalism in sermons.

• She publicly challenged male ministers by preaching a theology of divine grace

• She tried to establish a Catholic mission in Boston and encouraged women to become ordained priests.

Which of the following best describes a central feature of the First Great Awakening in the 18th-century British Atlantic world?

• A return to traditional rituals and formal liturgy among British Protestants

• A widespread rejection of religion in favor of Enlightenment rationalism and secularism

• A revival movement that emphasized emotional preaching and challenged formal worship practices

• A new alliance between colonial governments and churches to enforce religious orthodoxy

How did the First Great Awakening contribute to conflict within colonial religious communities?

• New Light ministers supported emotional revivalism that challenged the authority of traditional Old Light clergy.

• Old Light congregants rejected Calvinist doctrine and embraced New Light teachings of universal salvation.

• New Light leaders worked to preserve the formal worship practices defended by Old Light elites.

• Old Light preachers embraced the revival, while New Light followers called for a return to structured liturgy.

What aspect of Jonathan Edwards’s sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” most reflected the broader changes in religious practice during the First Great Awakening?

• Its endorsement of formal church rituals and liturgical traditions from England

• Its use of classical references and rational arguments to prove divine judgment and provide protection from the Devil

• Its focus on individual emotional experience, fear of hell, and urgent appeals for personal salvation

• Its emphasis on the religious tolerance of sinners and the celebration of denominational diversity

How did George Whitefield contribute to the spread of the First Great Awakening in the American colonies?

• He led a series of theological debates among Anglican bishops that shaped church policy across the Atlantic world.

• He built permanent churches in every major city to encourage formalized religious worship and unity.

• He traveled extensively as an itinerant preacher, drawing large crowds with emotionally charged sermons.

• He remained in England and sent written sermons to the colonies to be read aloud by local ministers.