Final answer:
The Pilgrims and Quakers came to North America primarily for religious freedom. The Pilgrims aimed to separate from the Church of England, while Quakers sought a tolerant environment to practice their beliefs. The correct answer is option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Pilgrims and the Quakers are two different groups that came to North America for primarily one main reason: religious freedom. The Pilgrims, who traveled aboard the Mayflower in 1620, were a sect of English Puritans known as Separatists. They were distinct in their determination to completely separate from the Church of England. Their prime motivation to emigrate to the New World was to create a society where they could practice their religion freely, without the influence of the English church and government which they found to be corrupt. Similarly, the Quakers sought a place where they could live according to their principles, which included equality, peace, and religious tolerance - ideals they could not fully exercise in England due to persecution.
Neither group journeyed to America with the primary intention of acquiring new lands to farm, finding a shorter route to Asia, or seeking a larger amount of fresh water. Instead, their common goal was the establishment of communities where they could live and worship without interference. Religious ideals were central to their respective foundations – the Pilgrims forming the basis for the eventual Plymouth Colony, and the Quakers subsequent establishment of Pennsylvania under William Penn's leadership. This drive for a religious haven was also shared by other groups such as Catholics in Maryland and various denominations in Rhode Island, all contributing to the religious diversity and premise of religious liberty that would later be a cornerstone of American values.