What was the primary reason that Roger Williams left the Massachusetts bay colony and founded the Rhode Island colony

1 answer

The primary reason that Roger Williams left the Massachusetts Bay Colony and founded the Rhode Island colony was due to religious differences and ideological disagreements with the authorities of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Williams held strong beliefs in religious freedom and the separation of church and state, which clashed with the Puritan leaders who sought religious conformity and held power within the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was also critical of the colonists' treatment of the Native Americans and believed that they should pay for the land they settled on. These differing views led to Williams being banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and he subsequently established the Rhode Island colony as a sanctuary for religious freedom and tolerance.