Which statement best describes the Puritan colonies in New England and their dates of establishment?

• A. Rhode Island and Connecticut 1636, New Hampshire 1638, Maine in the 1630s
• B. Plymouth Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony were the only Puritan colonies
• C. Maryland and Virginia were Puritan colonies
• D. Rhode Island and Connecticut, New Hampshire, 1640, Maine in the 1630s

Answer: (A)

Puritan settlement in New England expanded rapidly in the 1620s–1640s beyond the famous colonies, with several new outposts established in the 1630s. The best choice reflects that pattern by naming Rhode Island and Connecticut around 1636, New Hampshire in 1638, and Maine beginning to see Puritan settlements in the 1630s. This captures the broader growth of Puritan colonies beyond the first wave, Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth, and uses dates that fit the historical timeline for those later settlements.

The other statements misstate the scene: Puritans founded more than two colonies; Maryland and Virginia were not Puritan, and New Hampshire’s date in the last option isn’t accurate.