Explanation:
The people of the Massachusetts colony were bound together by several commonalities:
1. **Religious Beliefs**: A significant commonality was their shared Puritan faith. The majority of the settlers were Puritans seeking religious freedom. Their faith and religious practices formed a central part of their lives, creating a strong sense of community and shared values.
2. **Social Structure**: The settlers often adhered to a communal way of living, where the community's needs took precedence over individual desires. This communal ethos contributed to a sense of unity and cooperation among the inhabitants.
3. **Shared Governance**: The establishment of self-governing bodies, such as the Mayflower Compact and later the Massachusetts Bay Colony government, provided a framework for shared governance. They worked together to create laws and structures that governed their society, fostering a sense of unity and cooperation.
4. **Common Challenges**: Facing common challenges, such as harsh environmental conditions, harsh winters, and interactions with Native American populations, brought the settlers together as they worked collectively to overcome these obstacles.
5. **Education and Literacy**: Emphasis on education and literacy within the community also played a role in fostering unity. The establishment of schools and a commitment to education created a shared value for knowledge and learning among the people.
These commonalities helped create a cohesive society in the Massachusetts colony, fostering a sense of community and shared identity among the settlers.
