Final answer:
Puritans and Pilgrims shared a Calvinist foundation, rejecting Catholic elements and emphasizing a hardworking life as part of their 'calling', with differences mainly in their approach to the Church of England, with Puritans seeking reform and Pilgrims separating entirely.
Step-by-step explanation:
The similarities between Puritans and Pilgrims stem from their shared Calvinist beliefs in Protestantism. Both groups sought to purify their religion from the perceived corruption of Catholic practices within the Church of England. The Puritans aimed to reform the church from within, thereby purifying it, whereas the Pilgrims were Separatists who believed that the church was beyond reform and chose instead to separate completely.
Both groups disdained Catholic elements such as stained glass in churches, clerical robes, use of incense in services, and genuflecting at the sign of the cross, as well as the concepts of marriage as a sacrament and the imposition of last rites. They also rejected what they saw as religious passivities, like idleness, mysticism, and prescribed prayers, advocating for a dutiful, hardworking life as part of their 'calling' to serve God and their community. Furthermore, both the Puritans in Massachusetts Bay and the Pilgrims in Plymouth held that a structured society was essential, with specific roles for men, women, and children.
Ultimately, the Puritans and Pilgrims were distinct in their relationship to the Church of England: Pilgrims were adamant Separatists who created a Congregational Church in Leiden after relocating from England, whereas Puritans in Massachusetts Bay aimed for reform while maintaining a connection to the church.