Final answer:
An example of division in the Puritan colonies include the religious conflicts leading to the exile of dissenters like Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams. Rigid conformity in New England can be attributed to factors such as social hierarchy and economic competition influencing the unified society that the Puritans sought to create based on their Calvinist beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
One example of division in the Puritan colonies was the religious conflict that arose from dissenting views. Notable figures such as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams were exiled for their challenging beliefs against the rigid conformity of the Puritan church leadership and their push for religious toleration. Besides religious doctrine, another factor explaining the insistence upon rigid conformity in New England was social hierarchy and unity. Disputes over trade routes and economic competition fostered a need for uniformity to maintain order and ensure the collective success of the colonies.
Analyzing these conflicts and motives behind conformity sheds light on the complex nature of societal structures and beliefs during the formation of the New England colonies. The Puritans, seeking to establish a society rooted in Calvinist theology and free from the perceived corruption of the Church of England, were strictly governed by a sense of divine purpose and social order. This is illustrated not only in their religious practices but also in the organization of their towns and communities, which prioritized the church and its dictates.