Here is the link to a previous post explaining the differences between the Puritan and Pilgrim settlers of Massachusetts. My own relatives, as well as Waldo Emerson’s, arrived on Puritan ships. Emerson’s wife, Lidian, was of Pilgrim stock.
Both groups sought religious freedom, coming from a country headed by a monarch who was also the spiritual leader. The difference lies in what the groups wanted to achieve with that freedom.
The Pilgrims wanted freedom to worship God as they felt lead by the Bible. The Puritans wanted freedom for church leaders [not individuals] to have input into beliefs and practices within the church. They also wanted to educate their children to read for themselves. Since the Puritans lived in Boston and outnumbered the Pilgrims in Plymouth, the laws of Massachusetts emphasized Puritan beliefs.
Three hundred and seventy years later, a new poll records the results of their approach:
The Gallup poll shows, “In all [USA], more than 70% of Americans were very or moderately religious in 2013.” However, this varies by state. And the least religious states “are, in order, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Connecticut, Hawaii, District of Columbia.”
Read more: These Are The Most Godless States in America | TIME.com http://nation.time.com/2014/02/03/these-are-the-most-godless-states-in-america/#ixzz2v6NmO5Cz
Mr. Emerson's Relationships 