Hey researchers, I found this while doing some other research. I have always heard that the people left England because of their religion and could not get along with the STATE CHURCH, also known as the Church of England. I have often wondered why ones religion would be such a problem. I guess I was asleep in history class when the teacher was trying to teach me all of this. There was no freedom to choose what a person believed or how he could worship. After reading this article I can better understand the problem the people have in going to the Church of England, and wanting to leave England and start their own church. This one article has opened my eyes to the life and times of the early explorers of the New World. I also noticed that there was a James VI of Scotland that was to become James I of England. (When Queen Elizabeth I died in 1604 and James VI of Scotland was to become James I of England, he traveled the post road on his way to be crowned.) I think I need to set back here and do some more studies on the history of England and Scotland. I would like to see just how close these two were in the Old World. I hope this help someone else as much as it has helped me. Here is the link to the website if you would like to read more about the Plymouth Colony and Pilgrims. http://www.rootsweb.com/~mosmd/#part1 Sue B. Altice THE STATE CHURCH At the time the Pilgrim Fathers were living in England there was only one church approved by the English rulers. Everyone was required to attend that church -- and ONLY that church -- every week. If the English ruler were Protestant, all people of the realm were required to follow the Protestant beliefs and attend those church services; if the ruler were Catholic, everyone in the kingdom was required to practice the Catholic faith and rituals. All religion in the kingdom was strictly dictated by the government. This is what we call a "State Church." The reigning ruler appointed the archbishop of his or her choice and every church in the kingdom was under the direct orders of the ruler and the archbishop. There was no freedom to choose what a person believed or how he could worship. Anyone who objected to the beliefs of the state church or the forms of the church services could be arrested, questioned and thrown into prison. If they refused to give up their personal beliefs, they could be tortured in an effort to make them agree with the state church. If they still refused to give up their convictions after torture, they could be executed. Many people were imprisoned, tortured and put to death. Those who were executed for their religious beliefs died painful deaths. Many were hanged and quartered, some were burned at the stake, while others were crushed to death under heavy weights. There were two major groups of believers who disagreed with the beliefs and practices of the Church of England. One group wanted to stay in the church, but hoped to change its forms of worship: This group was called "Puritan" because they wanted to "purify" the church. The other group did not believe the state church could be changed: This group was called "Separatist" because they wanted to separate completely from the Church of England. At the beginning of the 1600s, a group of Separatists began to gather at Scrooby in the northeastern county of Nottingham. Scrooby was located on the main post road which ran between Scotland and London. When Queen Elizabeth I died in 1604 and James VI of Scotland was to become James I of England, he traveled the post road on his way to be crowned. James I was a Protestant and the Separatists were hopeful he would be more tolerant of differing religious views. It was not long, however, before the Separatists learned that differing religious views would not be allowed under the new king.