Colonial Regions

JOURNAL: QUICK WRITE How are areas of the the east coast of North America different from one another? Where would you settle if you had to decided during the 17 th century. Why?

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New England Colonies Colonies included: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. New England was settled by Puritans seeking freedom from religious persecution in Europe. Poor soil forced New Englanders to rely on trade instead of agriculture. Lumbering, shipbuilding, and fishing became chief industries- natural harbors and abundant forests.

New England Society The Puritan concern for the moral health of the community provided: –The foundation for later reform movements such as abolitionism and the women’s rights movement. –Protestant work ethic – Puritans saw the value in hard work and a lack of worldly (secular) possessions.

New England Society Increasing intolerance of those who strayed from the religious beliefs of the community led to conflict. Roger Williams – His advocacy for the separation of church and state and Native American land rights led to his banishment in Established the colony of Rhode Island Ann Hutchinson – The meetings she led in her home challenged the teachings of the church and she was banished in Standing in the community was based on standing in the church. Small villages and farms created a tightly knit community - guaranteed religious purity.

New England Politics Mayflower Compact created ‘democratic-like’ government. – Aimed to create “just and equal laws…for the good of the colony.” – Those laws approved by the majority would be binding. John Winthrop-First governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony, claimed, “We shall be a city upon a hill.” New England colonies had strong democratic traditions through town meetings - where every male, church member voted (Direct Democracy)

The Middle Colonies Colonies included: New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware The Middle colonies were settled chiefly by English, Dutch, and German speaking immigrants seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity. Middle Colonial Economy Excellent land for farming-region became the “bread basket of the colonies.” Exported grain, fruit, vegetables to other colonies and England. Navigable rivers allowed for easy trade between port cities and interior. Fewer industries than New England, but more than the South (mixed economy). Shipbuilding, lumbering, and commerce through seaports and commercial centers like Philadelphia and New York. – Merchants and artisans thrived in coastal towns

Middle Colonial Society More religiously tolerant (Quakers in Pennsylvania, Jews and Huguenots in New York, Presbyterians in New Jersey). Middle to small size farms created a weaker aristocracy and more social mobility-the emergence of a middle class. Population was ethnically mixed (German, Dutch, English), religiously tolerant (Quakers, Amish), and more democratic. William Penn (founder of the Pennsylvania colony) and other leaders maintained the best relationship with the Native Americans.

Middle Colonial Politics Maintained a number of democratic principles from England. –Colonies governed by royal governors and elected assemblies. –Many constitutions guaranteed religious freedom and prohibited taxation without representation.

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Southern Colonies Colonies included: Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Southern colonies were settled by people seeking economic opportunity. Southern Economy Region was dominated by plantation-style agriculture. Plantations produced cash crops- tobacco, rice, and indigo for export to Europe. Labor originally supplied by indentured servants, but transitioned to slavery by the late 18 th century.

Southern Society Large landholdings (plantations) in the tidewater (eastern Virginia) favored wealthy aristocracy- planters (Cavaliers in Virginia) Middle class and poor farmers settled on the frontier in the Piedmont and Appalachian regions (Scots-Irish) and engaged in subsistence farming, hunting, and trading. – Region was sparsely populated- churches and schools were too expensive-wealthy received education. – Established church was the Anglican Church

Southern Politics Political affairs controlled by planters and social status based on family. – Representatives in colonial legislatures were primarily members of the planter class. Plantations required expansionary tendencies because of soil exhaustion. – Southern colonists would continually push west. Southern colonies had closest ties to England-Cavaliers received land grants from the king.

Colonization and Native Americans Conflict with Native Americans occurred primarily in New England and the Southern colonies- Middle colonies had the best relationship with Native Americans. Most conflicts occurred over land as colonists continually expanded westward. Many Native Americans died due to a lack of immunity to European diseases.

True or False….Explain The New England colonies were the most profitable investment England had in North America.