What caused the Pilgrims to settle in New England?

A. They wanted to escape poverty and starvation.
B. They wanted to take part in the fur trade.
C. They wanted to practice their religion freely.
D. They wanted to convert Indians to Christianity.

The answer to the question "What caused the Pilgrims to settle in New England?" is C. They wanted to practice their religion freely.

To arrive at this answer, we can eliminate options A, B, and D as they are not accurate explanations for why the Pilgrims settled in New England. Option A states that the Pilgrims wanted to escape poverty and starvation, but this is not the main reason for their settlement. Option B suggests they were motivated by the fur trade, but this was not their primary objective. Option D suggests that they wanted to convert Indians to Christianity, but this was not their primary reason for settling in New England either.

The correct answer, option C, states that the Pilgrims settled in New England to practice their religion freely. This accurately represents the main motivation behind their decision to establish the Plymouth Colony in 1620. The Pilgrims, who were persecuted for their religious beliefs in England, sought a place where they could freely practice their form of Protestantism without interference.