Why did pilgrims voyage the dangerous seas from Europe to the Americas when they could have stayed put? In the Americas, why did groups (the Mormon pioneers eas

Why did pilgrims voyage the dangerous seas from Europe to the Americas when they could have stayed put? In the Americas, why did groups (the Mormon pioneers easily come to my mind but there were many others) set out west into mostly uninhabited territory, with many dying on the way and when they finally stopped to settle, instead of trying to make things work where they were? How bad could the conditions have been? Understand those motivations and you'll understand why in the current century nowhere on Earth is as appealing as Mars for satisfying the needs that previously could have been satisfied by going a bit further west. The environmental challenges of the journey and the destination will be great, yes, but the payoff will be indescribably (if you don't understand those motivations at an emotional level) worth it for those who meet the challenges.