ABSTRACT
Since 1735 there has been a continuous and unbroken existence of communes in the United States. Conditions other than the physically wide open spaces must be prevalent for the formation of communes. One of the characteristics of the early settlements which laid the foundation for the United States was the independent organization of communities. Historical circumstances had caused the English Puritan settlers in New England to establish independent communities, thus influencing later settlers. Thomas Jefferson's ideal society would be based on small craftsmen or artisans as well as on independent farmers who would be a strong and steady foundation for a democratic system of equality. The large variety of religions of the first settlers had motivated them to achieve religious tolerance as a matter of principle after achieving independence and to aspire to a clear separation between church and state. The immigrants were attracted by the supposedly unlimited material opportunities that the New World could offer.
