john winthrop
...ok a major role in the building of a governing body for the community. He experienced difficulties in the form of people or ideas that led people to question the system that was in place but did his best to keep the order and discipline that was essential in a godly community – in their “city upon a hill”, their religious experiment. He died on March 26, 1649, but not before leaving an indelible mark on the “New World”. “The habits of discipline, hard work, and piety and the desire for perfection and purity – so much a part of John Winthrop’s society – proved a lasting legacy for many generations of Americans.” (47). The accomplishments of his father had so much to do with the man he became. Had not his father become wealthy, it is doubtful that John Winthrop would have had access to the debauchery and “sins” of his life that ultimately led him to his devoutness; he became ill and he believed it was God punishing him for his sins. He had constant bouts of guilt after giving into his earthly desires until finally he came to the conclusion that discipline was the key. By this time Puritanism had already become a central part of his life. His Puritan values inspired the idea that his illness came from sin and that he had to be strictly devout and disciplined. It is this zeal and firm belief that made him a respected member of the Puritan community and England; it is this respect that made him the leader in the new colony. The wealth his father built was important in another way. When John inherited his father’s estate he had to manage it. Alth...