Two characteristics of the origins of colonial North America:
The colonies were initially founded by private companies that obtained permission from the Monarch (a royal colonial charter). The monarch was not directly involved in most of the affairs related to the settlement of the colony.
The colonies were populated mainly by European settlers fleeing religious persecution in their European homelands: puritan separatists, quakers, catholics, even huguenots. People who did not follow the mainstream European religion of the time, and who decided to leave for North America in order to practice their faith.
