Final answer:
Religion fundamentally influenced the settlement of Plymouth, Massachusetts; the Pilgrims sought to establish a colony based on Calvinist principles (A), create a theocratic society (B), and promote education and literacy to ensure knowledge of scripture (E).
Step-by-step explanation:
Religion played a significant role in the settlement of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Puritans and Pilgrims, driven by their Calvinist beliefs, sought a place to practice their religion freely and founded the colony in 1620. Answer choices (A), (B), and (E) are correct:
- (A) Religion motivated the Pilgrims to leave England to establish a new colony that aligned with their religious ideals.
- (B) It influenced the establishment of a theocratic society where the church had a dominant role in governance and societal norms.
- (E) The Puritans' emphasis on religious education and scripture knowledge led to the development of education and literacy within the colony. Education was seen as a province of the state rather than the responsibility of the family, in contrast to Southern colonies.
While answer choices (C) and (D) are related to the influence of religion, they are less directly tied to the settlement of Plymouth. (C) addresses how religion shaped interactions with Native Americans rather than its impact on the colony's establishment. (D) suggests the creation of religious freedom and tolerance; however, the Plymouth colony was initially founded by people seeking to practice their own brand of Christianity rather than to provide religious freedom for all.
Moreover, Puritans and Pilgrims had their distinct religious practices, yet they shared a common goal of establishing a society governed by their religious principles. The Pilgrims' signing of the Mayflower Compact reflected the desire to found a society based on Christianity and representative government. Economic survival, through fishing and agriculture, was also deeply interwoven with religious practices in the colony.