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Puritans and Pilgrims shared basic religious beliefs. These grew out of their dissatisfaction with the Church of England. What they did not share were their immigration history and and a few issues about how to practice their religion. Both groups came to America in search of religious freedom. While a Puritan may also have been a pilgrim in that they arrived in New England on the Mayflower, not all Puritans are Pilgrims, but all Pilgrims believed in Puritanism. Pilgrims called themselves Separatists.

The Pilgrims were the first group of Puritans to settle in New England. This was not their planned destination but on their way to Virginia ran into foul weather while nearing Cape Cod and had settle there. This caused them problems because they had signed on for Virginia and probably had they gone the full distance, their first winter would have been easier. Certainly it would have somewhat less cold and there would have neighborly help of some sort. This was the reasoning behind their signing the Mayflower Compact before deciding on the Cape Cod area.

The Puritans some years later that came to same location did so by securing their passage with the Massachusetts Bay Colony, an English company that specialized in explorations in the area. Far from being the rag tag bunch of Pilgrims who were poor and indentured to their debtors, Puritans were wealthier and their contributions were broader than that of their predecessors.

Dissatisfactions with the Church of England and their incomplete breaks with Catholicism resulted in tumultuous times for those who wanted to purify the church. This led to wars and bitterness and, in fact, had lasting effects no only on the church but on the overall system of government. This unruly bunch, as seen by the ruling king must obey or leave. They left. Holland became their new homeland and for ten or twelve years they were in relative peace with themselves and their God.

They left Holland for two reasons. First, they were unhappy over the younger members of the group becoming acclimated to the free and easy ways of Holland. Wanting to contain their religious fervor and to force them into compliance, they, after learning of the impending voyage to America, secured passage. They then loaded themselves and their goods on a ship sailing for England and in due time boarded the Mayflower and started the treacherous journey toward their new home.

Collectively this group of dissenters belonged to the church known as Puritanism. Thus the labeling

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