11. New England passed laws to prevent idle time
The Puritan approach to work was simple. Humanity was to rest on the Sabbath. The rest of the week was to be dedicated to labor. Games and amusements which distracted from work, which was itself dedication to God, were sinful. Therefore, it was the responsibility of the community leaders to outlaw other pursuits and to punish the sinners who indulged in them. There was no concept of the elderly retiring, work was to accomplished until such time as one became too weakened by age to serve at labor. The idea of playing at bowls, or indulging in the pastime of shuffleboard, was anathema to the elders who kept a watchful eye on the immortal souls entrusted to their care.
Idle time spent in taverns and inns was particularly bothersome to the community leaders, though the taverns and inns were allowed to exist. The community leaders, that is to say, the church elders, established authority over them by requiring them to be licensed. Licenses not only cost the innkeeper’s money, it required them to follow the rules established by the elders. They included the enforcement of laws against gaming with dice, cards, and other idle pursuits. Only in Rhode Island (which was not a Puritan colony) were leisure activities such as physical exercise and games encouraged by the leaders of the communities.