What was the Beacon on the Hill concept?

Answer 1

During the Colonial Period of America's history, the "Beacon on a Hill" concept was descriptive of both the Massachusetts Bay Colony and, to some extent, of Colonial America as a whole. Fundamentally, it consisted of a sense of both being special and having special responsibilities in this world. Following from their fervent Christian faith, many colonists saw the New World as a God-given place in which to demonstrate their special relationship with God and to do God's work in a diligent way, especially for the sake of sharing the light of truth (as a "Beacon on a Hill") with the rest of the world.