Who formed a community in the New England Colonies and on what principles was it based?

• A. Puritans, Mayflower Compact
• B. Quakers, William Penn
• C. Cavaliers, eastern Virginia
• D. Catholics, Rhode Island charter

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that early New England communities were built as covenants—self-governing, morally guided communities formed by the settlers themselves. The Puritans in the New England Colonies sought to create a society run according to their religious beliefs and the agreements they made with one another. The Mayflower Compact embodies that principle in action: before landing, the Pilgrims agreed to govern themselves with laws they would write for the common good, based on the consent of the governed. This combination of a religiously motivated, self-governing community and a formal social contract best fits the idea of who formed a community in New England and on what principles it was based. The other options describe groups and places tied to different regions or founding principles, not the Puritan covenant community of New England.