Why did early settlers name their settlement New England?

The Pilgrims who founded Plymouth in 1620 named the region "New England" because it reminded them of their homeland, England. The Pilgrims were English Puritans who had been persecuted for their religious beliefs in England. They wanted to find a new place where they could practice their religion freely. When they arrived in North America, they were thankful to be in a new land where they could start over and build a new community. They named the region "New England" as a way of expressing their gratitude and hope for the future.