The Puritans sailed to America - the New World to them. Their aim was to show England what a moral society was supposed to be like. They thought the English society of the day was corrupt. They settled in America in towns in a region which they called New England. Their lives were structured around living in town. They had meetings to discuss matters affecting the residents of the town. These town meetings formed the basis of modern day local governments. Puritan towns also kept church and state separate. They allowed people their freedom of religion.