The early colonies of America were all settled with the thought of a better life, but different settlers had different aspirations which led the early colonies to have notable differences from each other. The northern settlements of New England were more strongly influenced by the idea of ​​freedom from the Church of England, while the immigrants who settled in the South were more influenced monetarily. Both settlements desired to come to America for a sense of freedom, both from the church and to tap into new resources and establish proprietary gain. While both colonies established structure and a sense of independence, there were differences. These differences led to variations in government, religious practices, social culture, and, most importantly, economic variations in northern and southern settlements. One of the major differences in the early settlements of New England and the South was the people who began the settlements. Massachusetts, settled by Puritans, and Plymouth, settled by Separatists, were settled for the primary reason of freedom by the Church of England. By comparison, the southern settlement of Virginia was founded by a joint stock company, the London Company, whose primary interest was economic gain for themselves and their investors. Although the New England and Southern colonies were both originally settled by predominantly Protestant founders, the colonies differed in values ​​and purposes. The political practices of the early colonies showed a fair amount of similarities regarding the structure and primary focus of representation. of the people. However there were notable differences. Northern settlements structured their government around the church, but only male property owners who we... middle of paper... south were extremely diverse. In the early days of settlement, the northern colonies relied heavily on the fur trade and fishing as a means of pecuniary survival. For the most part, New England worked for self-support. In the South, settlers operated large tobacco, rice, and sugar plantations for profit. Most southern settlements were founded primarily to meet the demands of a world market and to become rich in the process. Although the early colonies were both settled by predominantly Protestant Europeans and had some similarities, they had significant differences. These different reasons have led to different results in the way of life in many dimensions. Differences aside, they were similar in their central aspirations for a self-governing nation independent of England and in their hopes for a new life.