Who were the Puritans and what were their beliefs and practices?

A Puritan was a member of a group called the English Protestants, who in the 16th and 17th centuries advocated strict religious discipline in addition to the simplification of the ceremonies and creeds of the Church of England. The Puritans, in short, were people who wanted to reform or purify their church. The Puritans believed that God had formed a unique covenant, or agreement, with them. They believed that God expected them to live according to the Scriptures, to reform the Anglican Church, and to set a good example that would cause those who had remained in England to change their sinful ways.