<P> In the early 17th century, thousands of English Puritans settled in North America, mainly in New England . Puritans were generally members of the Church of England who believed that the Church of England was insufficiently reformed, retaining too much of its Roman Catholic doctrinal roots, and who therefore opposed royal ecclesiastical policy under Elizabeth I of England, James I of England, and Charles I of England . Most Puritans were "non-separating Puritans", meaning that they did not advocate setting up separate congregations distinct from the Church of England; a small minority of Puritans were "separating Puritans" who advocated setting up congregations outside the Church . The Pilgrims were a Separatist group, and they established the Plymouth Colony in 1620 . Non-separating Puritans played leading roles in establishing the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629, the Saybrook Colony in 1635, the Connecticut Colony in 1636, and the New Haven Colony in 1638 . The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was established by settlers expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of their unorthodox religious opinions . Puritans were also active in New Hampshire before it became a crown colony in 1691 . </P> <P> Most Puritans who migrated to North America came in the decade 1630 - 1640 in what is known as the Great Migration . See the main articles on each of the colonies for information on their political and social history; this article focuses on the religious history of the Puritans in North America . </P> <P> Puritanism was a Protestant movement that emerged in 16th--century England with the goal of transforming it into a godly society by reforming or purifying the Church of England of all remaining Roman Catholic teachings and practices . During the reign of Elizabeth I, Puritans were for the most part tolerated within the established church . Like Puritans, most English Protestants at the time were Calvinist in their theology, and many bishops and Privy Council members were sympathetic to Puritan objectives . The major point of controversy between Puritans and church authorities was over liturgical ceremonies Puritans thought too Catholic, such as wearing clerical vestments, kneeling to receive Holy Communion, and making the sign of the cross during baptism . </P> <P> During the reign of James I, some Puritans were no longer willing to wait for further church reforms . These Separatists left the national church and began holding their own religious meetings, with many migrating to the Netherlands in order to escape persecution and worship freely . Nevertheless, most Puritans remained within the Church of England . </P>

What was the goal of the puritan colony