VISUAL ACTIVITYNew England Mother and Child This seventeenth-century painting of Elizabeth Freake and her baby Mary illustrates the evolution of New England society away from the Puritan austerity of the founders and toward worldly elegance and display. Both mother and daughter appear prosperous, healthy, and somewhat proud.READING THE IMAGE: What does the clothing of Elizabeth and Mary suggest about their religion?CONNECTIONS: Why did New England’s Puritan zeal diminish in the latter third of the seventeenth century?

Worcester Art Museum, Massachusetts, USA/Bridgeman Images.