How were the Puritans different from the Pilgrims?
The Puritans who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony in North America were religious Protestants, as were the Pilgrims. Although both sects (religious groups) “protested” the Church of England (also called the Anglican Church), the Pilgrims actually separated from the church whereas the Puritans stayed in the church but wished to “purify” or change it. The Puritans’ religious movement began in the sixteenth century and was influenced by the teachings of French theologian John Calvin (1509–1564). Further Information: Logan, Samuel T., Jr. The Pilgrims and the Puritans. [Online] Available http://www.puritansermons.com/banner/logan1.htm, October 22, 2000; Ogram, Margo. Seventeenth Century Colonial New England.
