Final answer:
The Pilgrims and Puritans settled in North America to seek religious freedom and create communities based on Calvinist beliefs, separate from the Church of England.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many of the original English colonists, such as the Pilgrims and the Puritans, were religious separatists seeking to establish colonies in North America. They were motivated by a desire to practice their religion freely and to create communities based on their Calvinist beliefs, which differed from the practices of the Church of England. The Puritans aimed to 'purify' the Church from what they saw as Catholic elements, whereas the Pilgrims, who were Separatists, sought a complete break from the Church. The Pilgrims initially migrated to the Dutch Republic in search of religious freedom but decided to move to North America to maintain their English identity and to escape potential conflicts in Europe. Hence, the most accurate answer would be they were seeking religious freedom and financial opportunities.