It is the practices and beliefs of the Puritans. The Puritans were originally membership of a division of the Protestant Church, most of whom wished to purify the Church of England of its Catholic aspects. They were a group of serious, religious people, advocating highly religious and moral principles. They accepted the doctrine of predestination, original sin and total depravity, and limited atonement through a special infusion of grace from God. As a culture heritage, Puritanism did have a profound influence on the early American mind and American literature.