Final answer:
The Pilgrims and Puritans were similar in their Calvinist beliefs and pursuit of religious freedom, but differed as the Puritans sought to reform the Church of England while the Pilgrims, as Separatists, sought complete separation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Similarities and Differences Between Pilgrim and Puritan Colonies
The Pilgrims and the Puritans were both Calvinist Protestant groups that sought religious freedom by founding colonies in New England, away from the persecution of the English Church and Parliament. In terms of similarities, both colonies were established by those who followed John Calvin's Protestant theories and wanted to practice their faith without constraints. They opposed Catholic practices within the Church of England, such as stained glass in churches and robes for ministers.
However, an important difference was their approach to the Church of England. Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony believed the Church could still be reformed and purified of its Catholic elements. In contrast, the Pilgrims of Plymouth were Separatists who concluded that the Church was irredeemable and therefore separated entirely from it. Moreover, the Pilgrims at Plymouth had earlier fled to Holland before coming to America, while the larger exodus of Puritans directly established Massachusetts Bay in the 1630s.
Despite their differences, the two colonies managed to cooperate with one another. They both contributed to the social, religious, and economic life of the New England region. Both groups echoed the Calvinist work ethic and established communities with strong economies. The Puritan colonies, however, also had moments of internal religious conflict and episodes like the Salem witch trials that demonstrated the intensity of their religious orthodoxy.