Hanover, NH: UP of New England, 1999. Students might ask, for example, Why are the Puritans considered such an important starting point for American culture and literature? The Puritans were members of a religious reform movement that arose in the late 16th century and held that the Church of England should eliminate ceremonies Studies Literature | Field Intolerance: While the Puritans might have escaped England due to religious persecution, they did not come to America to establish religious freedom for all. This page was last modified on: