God oversaw the emigration and immigration of the descendants of Abraham through the Assyrian captivity, the Babylonian captivity, and eventually scattering them in Northwest Europe. Two waves of Puritans, one called Separatists or Pilgrims, led by William Bradford, landing at Plymouth Colony in 1620 and the larger migration, led by John Winthrop, landing at the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. Both groups sought religious freedom in America, calling for a city on the hill, pushing for religious and political reforms based solely on the teachings of the Bible. Both groups shared a similar philosophy, but the larger group wanted to reform the errors of the Anglican Church, while the Pilgrims or separatists were more aggressive regarding spreading the message. This religious fervor, coupled with a zeal for independence, was the true source of American exceptionalism.