Final answer:
In New England, religion, particularly Puritanism, strongly influenced education and governance, whereas in New France, Catholicism was central due to France's ambitions but did not dominate civil life as much. Rhode Island within New England was an exception allowing for religious tolerance and diversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The role of religion in New England differed significantly from that in New France. In New England, the Puritanical belief system was deeply embedded into everyday life and governance. Education was heavily influenced by religious doctrine, with a strong emphasis on knowing Scripture, reflecting the Puritan belief that an idle life was akin to the devil's influence. Conversely, New France, settled by the French, had Catholicism at its core due to France's ambition to spread Catholicism worldwide.
In New France, there was less intertwining of church and state compared to Puritan New England, and though the Catholic Church was influential, it didn't dominate civil life to the extent seen in Massachusetts or Connecticut.
While Massachusetts was known for its strict Calvinist beliefs and practices, within New England there were also colonies like Rhode Island, which were founded with the express purpose of allowing for religious diversity and tolerance. Unlike the Puritans who required public support of Christian churches, French explorers and colonists did not seek to embed religious doctrine as tightly into the fabric of colonial life, reflecting a fundamental difference in the approach to religion and governance between the two regions.
In comparison, both regions were different from Spanish colonies, which had a strict imposition of Catholicism, and from colonies in the South of what would become the United States, where education was less centralized and not as influenced by religious doctrine.