How did the Toleration Act of 1649 show that religious attitudes in the middle colonies were different from the attitudes in New England? The law showed that the middle colonies would not tolerate the Puritan beliefs that were common in New England. The law showed that the middle colonies wanted to follow European attitudes, not those of New England. The law showed that the middle colonies were more tolerant of different religions than the Puritans of New England. The law showed that the middle colonies would not follow laws that forced them to be tolerant, unlike the New England colonies.