Why did the Separatists not stay in Holland?

• A. They faced religious persecution in Holland
• B. They wanted to join Puritans in Massachusetts
• C. They were required by treaty to leave
• D. They were afraid they'd lose their "Englishness"

Answer: (D)

Understanding the motive behind leaving Holland centers on preserving their English identity and religious practice. Although Holland offered toleration, the Separatists worried their children would adopt Dutch language and customs and drift away from the strict Puritan discipline they valued. They believed a new land would let them build and govern a religious community in English, ensuring their beliefs and practices could be kept intact for future generations. That push to maintain their Englishness is why they moved on to the New World. The other options don’t fit because there wasn’t persecution in Holland, no treaty forced them to leave, and their aim wasn’t to join Puritans in Massachusetts but to preserve and practice their own faith independently.