Many of the original English colonists (including the Pilgrims in Plymouth and the Puritans in Massachusetts Bay Colony) were religious people who disagreed with some practices of the Church of England. Why did these groups want to settle colonies in the New World?

Question

A.
to create new forms of democratic government
B.
to avoid taxation and punishment from government officials
C.
to escape religious persecution from foreign rulers
D.
to pursue religious freedom and financial opportunities

Answer 1

The correct answer is D. to pursue religious freedom and financial opportunities.

The original English colonists, including the Pilgrims and Puritans, sought to establish colonies in the New World primarily to escape religious persecution and to create communities where they could practice their faith freely. Additionally, economic opportunities and the potential for land in the New World also played a significant role in their decision to settle there.