Final answer:
The Puritans emigrated to the colonies in search of religious freedom and to establish a land based on their religious tenets. Economic motivations were secondary to their primary goal of creating a reformed Protestant community serving as a model for the Christian world.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Puritans came to the colonies primarily in search of religious freedom and land. They sought to establish a society based on their religious beliefs and escape the perceived corruption of the Church of England.
While some English settlers, such as those in Jamestown, were motivated by economic opportunities and aspirations to rise in the social hierarchy, the Puritans were more driven by the prospect of religious self-determination and the creation of a new English Israel. They envisioned building a new society that would serve as a model for the Christian world, untainted by the Catholic influence they were fleeing from.
Although economic prospects like cultivating tobacco fields were central to colonies such as Virginia and Maryland, New England was focused more on creating a tight-knit community centered around the church.
The Puritans, including families and their ministers, migrated to the colder climate and rocky soil of New England, spurred by religious motives. Their society was characterized by hard work, with all family members contributing to the maintenance of farms and businesses.
Religious motives were markedly different from the commercial orientation of the Chesapeake colonies. The Puritan emphasis on religious purity and self-governance led to the formation of the Congregational Church, which was a direct result of their endeavors in America.