Colonial Comparison of Early America

Differences:

1. The Puritans brought over 11 different ships. Their lead ship was the Arabella. The Pilgrims had only one ship, the Mayflower.
2. The Puritans came very well prepared for life in America, the Pilgrims did not. If not for the help of the Native Americans, the Pilgrims probably wouldn’t have made it through the first winter there.
3. The Pilgrims wanted to establish an economic settlement. They came to find another route to the orient and to use America as a place to import goods. The Puritans, however, wanted to establish a religious settlement. They saw America as a special place blessed by God.
4. The Puritans came to escape England. They were persecuted and wanted nothing to do with the country. Pilgrims on the other hand, wanted to bring England to America. The name Jamestown, Virginia is even derived from royal names.
5. The Puritans were well educated people. They were college graduates and even brought royalty with them. The Pilgrims were blue collar working class citizens.
6. The Puritans were commenced in theocracy and had all religious leaders. The Pilgrims did not. Their leader, John Smith, was not at all religious.
7. The Puritans wanted to achieve God’s grace so badly, they their society turned suspicious and nosey. This lead to the eventual Salem Witch Trials. The Pilgrims did not have this problem.

Similarities:

1. Both the Puritans and the Pilgrims wrote literature about what life in the new world was like for them and what they had experienced.
2. They both were persecuted in England for being different and were looked down upon in the English society.
3. Even though they both suffered greatly in England, they did not learn much about it. They began to use the same cruel and unusual punishments on others that were inflicted upon them before.