Final answer:
The three basic Puritan beliefs include the doctrine of predestination, the importance of social virtue, and covenant theology, all of which played a pivotal role in Puritan life and helped shape New England society.
Step-by-step explanation:
Basic Puritan Beliefs
Three basic Puritan beliefs that shaped life in New England include:
Predestination: A cornerstone of Calvinist theology, which posits that God has already decided who will be saved and who won't. Puritans lived in constant search for signs of their 'election' to be among the saved.
Social Virtue: Puritans believed that a civil society was based on the Bible and that everybody should live virtuously. Good works were seen as a reflection, not a means, to salvation.
Covenant Theology: This refers to the idea that a social and civil bond existed between God and the Puritans. This bond was seen as a mutual promise to form a godly community, much like a 'city on a hill.' The Puritans believed their new society would serve as a model for Christian utopia.
Puritan belief permeated every aspect of life, influencing the legal, social, and theological frameworks of the colony, and can still be seen in certain aspects of modern American thought.