Early colonies There were various reasons why the American Colonies were established. The three most important themes of English colonisation of America were religion, economics, and government. The most important reasons for colonisation were to seek refuge, religious freedom, and economic opportunity. To a lesser degree, the colonists sought to establish a stable and progressive government. Many colonies were founded for religious purposes. While religion was involved with all of the colonies, Massachusetts, New Haven, Maryland, and Pennsylvania were established exclusively for religious purposes. Massachusetts's inhabitants were Puritans who believed in predestination and the ideal