Final answer:
According to Ms. Blackwell, it was illegal for Puritans to wear red 300 years ago because bright colors like red were associated with vanity and worldliness, which opposed the Puritans' values of simplicity and modesty.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Puritans' outlawing of wearing red can be traced back to their strict moral codes and the association of bright colors with immorality and vanity. In the Puritan society, which was heavily influenced by a staunch work ethic and the belief in modesty, extravagance, and showing off, particularly through clothing, was deemed sinful. Red, as a vibrant and eye-catching color, was likely viewed as a sign of worldliness, opposing the Puritan values of simplicity and piety. The Puritan's legal and moral systems were closely intertwined, with civil laws often reflecting their strict religious beliefs. Hence, wearing red would have disrupted the community's emphasis on uniformity and modesty, possibly attracting negative attention - a stark contrast to the collective, subdued ethos that Puritans strived to maintain.The Puritan society was also highly judgmental of actions deemed to be associated with the devil or witchcraft. As they sought refuge in the New World to practice their form of Protestantism free from persecution, their societal rules, including dress codes, became mechanisms to preserve their religious purity and reduce influences seen as threats to their moral standards. The legal framework within the Massachusetts Bay Colony was designed to uphold these Puritan values.