Puritanism and Urban Infrastructure in Colonial America

Introduction: Colonial Towns and the Forces of Change

Urban infrastructure and its connected services had a massive impact on the development of the American colonies through the mid-nineteenth century. In just a few decades, the quaint colonial townships that had once existed were no longer recognizable; they had transformed into bustling metropolitan centers. Much of that evolution was a result of the values of Puritanism, which guided and shaped the colonies as they developed into a modern society. The values of Puritanism spurred people to work and to thrive, and in doing so, caused the towns themselves to grow into cities.

Privatism and Philadelphia as a Model of Urban Growth

Pennsylvania offers a shining example of how urban infrastructure and related factors were able to modernize and urbanize a colony. Philadelphia in particular provides a clear illustration of how both privatism and a departure from traditional hierarchical values were among the elements that pushed urban infrastructure forward, driving the city into the modern era. As Warner explains, "Privatism lies at the core of many modern cultures: privatism alone will not distinguish the experience of America from that of other nations. The tradition of privatism is, however, the most important element of our culture for understanding the development of cities. The tradition of privatism has always meant that the cities of the United States depended for their wages, employment, and general prosperity upon the aggregate successes and failures of thousands of individual enterprises, not community action" (Warner, 4). In other words, individuals starting their own businesses and working hard to create their own opportunities were part of the reason that the colonies — not just the city of Philadelphia — were able to evolve so rapidly and at a consistent pace.

Urban infrastructure was thus underscored by the rugged individualism and pioneer spirit that had characterized the development of the nation as a whole. The colonies were able to modernize because of the individual people who made them up. This makes sense historically, since the colonists had worked hard to overthrow British influence in their lives and to establish independence. Given everything they had endured, it is no surprise that they thrived on autonomy and individualism.

Individualism as manifested through privatism proved to be an ideal match for the needs and obligations of the colonies at this time. As Warner notes, "In the eighteenth century the tradition of privatism and the social and economic environment of colonial towns nicely complemented each other. Later as towns grew into big cities, and big cities grew into metropolises, the tradition became more and more ill-suited to the realities of urban life. The tradition assumed that there would be no major conflict between private interest, honestly and liberally viewed, and the public welfare" (Warner, 5). The colonies were able to thrive and modernize because the distinct towns within each colony believed that supporting individual men would benefit everyone — that if individuals succeeded, the entire town would as well. This hypothesis proved true time and again.

Puritanism and the Roots of American Individualism

Since individualism proved so essential to the development of the colonies, it is worth examining how the belief systems of colonial society gave rise to it. The colonies were characterized by American Puritanism, which turned out to be a core value of American society more broadly. American individualism, founded in Puritanism, placed a tremendous value on self-reliance, privacy, and mutual respect, and strongly upheld an anti-authority tradition (Kang, 149). As Kang explains, "Puritanism, being a product of the religious reform, keeps the anti-authority tradition and develops a strong self-awareness. Firstly, Puritans' 'justification-by-faith' concept led to the denial of the Pope's authority, and bridged the gap between God and man. That is, every Christian can communicate directly with God through his faith in Him, and everyone can be his own priest. So, the minds of Christians were emancipated from rigid Roman Catholicism. In this sense, personal values were stressed, and one's soul became more free and independent" (Kang, 149–150). Furthermore, in accordance with Martin Luther's pillars, Puritans created their own churches, selected their own priests, and eradicated the hierarchical system within the church. This meant that Christians no longer had to live under the constraints of the Roman Catholic system of rules and fear (Kang, 150), and that salvation became an individual and personal pursuit (Kang, 150).

Moreover, the Puritan doctrine of predestination further fortified self-awareness, as Puritans believed that their religious purity and ultimate salvation could be advanced through self-discipline, self-improvement, and hard work (Kang, 150). This anti-authority sensibility and intensive self-awareness helped carve the way for individualism within colonial America and laid the foundation for what would become the most important value of American people in general (Kang, 150).

Philadelphia's modernization is again a shining example of this phenomenon. Philadelphia in the 1700s was a place where the individual sought wealth, where the one-man shop prevailed, and where the city was full of entrepreneurs (Warner, 7). It would only be in later years that the city — and others like it — would fill with factories, offices, stores, and construction crews pushing it further forward. Philadelphia and similar colonial towns made the transition from small-town ways to big-city ways through adaptability and flexibility. Once a city made a strong commitment to privatism and maintained it through the process of urbanization, that commitment became a guide into the modern era.

Conclusion: Puritanism and the Making of the American City

Anbinder, T. (2001). Five Points: The 19th-Century New York City. New York: Penguin Group.

Kang, N. (2009, December). Puritanism and Its Impact upon American Values. Retrieved from ccsenet.org:

Warner, S. (1968). The Private City: Philadelphia in Three Periods. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.