Who were the puritans? what beliefs did they hold about government and human nature?

The Puritans, left England believing that the church there was corrupt. They went first to Holland and when they were not well accepted there, they transited the Atlantic Ocean to "the New World" in hopes of establishing a new "City on The Hill" (Jerusalem). Their intention was to get themselves right with God, doing away with all corruption and then once strong enough, return to England where they would then set the standard for Christian living. Their belief about human nature is that we are all corrupt and ooze sin. That nothing good comes from our bodies -- be it fecal matter, urine, saliva, whatever.