Which group of settlers sought to purify the Church of England and established the Massachusetts Bay Colony?

The correct answer is C, Puritans, as they were specifically a group seeking to reform and purify the Church of England from within. They sought to eliminate the Catholic practices retained by the Anglican Church and envisioned a more "pure" form of worship and ecclesiastical governance based on their interpretation of the Bible.

The Puritans established the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 with the intention of creating a community that embodied their religious ideals. They believed in a moral society guided by strict religious principles and emphasized the importance of a covenant with God in building their new society.

In contrast, Pilgrims, while also dissenting from the Church of England, took a more separatist approach, opting to break away entirely from the Anglican Church and establish their own communities, such as Plymouth Colony. Anglicans represent the established Church of England itself, supporting its traditions and hierarchy. Quakers, on the other hand, emerged later and had distinct beliefs that emphasized inner light and spiritual equality, often leading to conflicts with Puritans. Thus, the Puritans' specific objective to purify the Church of England directly correlates with their actions in founding Massachusetts Bay Colony.