Question

Which of the following is the main reason the Puritans and Pilgrims came to America? Option 1: To help repopulate Britain. Option 2: To avoid disease and famine. Option 3: To avoid religious persecution. Option 4: To gain free land and gold.

Answer 1

The primary reason Puritans and Pilgrims migrated to America was to escape religious persecution in England. They sought to create a society where they could practice their faith freely, away from the constrictive religious controls exerted by the Church of England and the monarchy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main reason the Puritans and Pilgrims came to America was to avoid religious persecution (Option 3). In England during the 16th and 17th centuries, the established Church of England, led by the monarchy, exerted strong control over religious practices. Those who desired to practice their faith differently, including the Puritans and Pilgrims, faced persecution.

The Puritans wished to purify the Church of England's practices, while the Pilgrims, a more radical sect, desired to separate entirely. Establishing a settlement in the New World offered an opportunity to practice their beliefs freely, far from the eye of the British monarchy. It was not about repopulating Britain, seeping riches, or avoiding disease and famine. Although life in America presented its own challenges, such as harsh winters and conflicts with Indigenous peoples, the promise of religious freedom outweighed these risks for many Puritans and Pilgrims.

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