Question

Read this excerpt from chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter using comprehension strategies. In accordance with this rule, it may safely be assumed that the forefathers of Boston had built the first prison-house, somewhere in the vicinity of Cornhill, almost as seasonably as they marked out the first burial-ground, on Isaac Johnson's lot, and round about his grave, which subsequently became the nucleus of all the congregated sepulchres in the old church-yard of King's Chapel. What is the meaning of this excerpt? The prison and cemetery were built early, with the cemetery expanding in size from its original plot. The prison was built near Cornhill, and the cemetery was built on an important man’s property. Just as Puritans gathered at the prison, they also gathered at the cemetery and the church. The forefathers of Boston chose the two most famous landmarks: the prison and the cemetery.

Answer 1

The excerpt from The Scarlet Letter indicates that the prison and cemetery were among the first establishments built by the forefathers of Puritan Boston, symbolizing their commitment to moral order and community structures in accordance with their religious beliefs.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt from Chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter details how the infrastructures of a prison and cemetery were some of the first establishments in the New England Puritan society of Boston. The mention of Cornhill and Isaac Johnson's lot underscores the specificity of locations where these significant and symbolic Puritan structures were erected. The prison symbolizes the Puritans' commitment to maintaining a strict moral code, while the grave at Isaac Johnson's lot provided the foundation for what would become a larger burial ground in the area, illustrating the importance of a community collective around places of death.

Puritan New England was notable for its unique labor system and maritime economy, but also for its religious and social aspirations. These were famously captured by John Winthrop's phrase "a city upon a hill", conveying the idea of an exemplary Christian community that also drove the physical and judicial structuring of their society, with laws and punishments reflecting their devout beliefs. The Great Migration saw thousands of Puritans, including the educated and privileged, settle in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, enforcing their religious beliefs and creating a model of reformed Protestantism, which inevitably included places like prisons and burial grounds as fundamental institutions.

Answer 2

Answer: A

Explanation: Edge