20.     why did puritans feel a lack of guilt for their harsh punishments for broken rules?               a.  believed they could replace god's judgment    b.  followed old testament teachings    c.  only for women who were subservient in puritan society    d.  their belief in predestination 

B. Followed Old Testament teachings

Explanation:

The punishment that imposed by the puritans can be found in the old testament bible (before Jesus Christ come into picture). This make those puritans have some sort of justification for the terrible actions that they've done. Despite the harsh punishments that they give to people, they feel lack of guilt since in their mind they believe that they are doing God's will,

Puritans felt a lack of guilt for their harsh punishments because they followed the Old Testament teachings.

Further Explanation:

Puritans were a group of individuals during the 16th and 17th centuries that were focused on refining the teachings and practices of the Church of England (aka the Anglican Church). This group did not want to separate themselves from the church, rather they wanted to adjust the structure and behaviors that they felt were corrupting the church.

This desire to purify the church was followed by an emphasis of following the ideas laid out in the Old Testament. Focusing on this book made it so that there were clear guidelines on how to act/behave within society. This is why Puritans felt little guilt when dishing out punishments for broken rules. In their mind, the Old Testament is clear in its expectations and all citizens should follow the exact word of this book.

Learn More:

Puritans and their beliefs- link

Key Details:

Topic: American History, European History

Grade Level: 7-12

Keywords: Puritan, Anglican Church, Church of England, Old Testament