The exploration and settlement of New England were responsible by figures such as John Smith and the Pilgrims, including those who settled in Plymouth in 1620. The Pilgrims sought religious freedom, while the Puritans later migrated in the 1630s for similar reasons, establishing the Massachusetts Bay Colony. These early settlements contributed to the development of distinct colonial societies characterized by self-governance, religious dissent, and economic pursuits. The legacy of these pioneers laid the groundwork for American culture and governance.