Middle Colonies and the Lower South

The Middle & Lower South Colonies Explain the development of the mid-Atlantic colonies; include the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam and subsequent English takeover, and the settlement of Pennsylvania.

The 1st “middle” colony was New Netherland created by the Dutch West India Company To attract settlers, the Dutch recruited Swedes, Germans, & Africans; New Netherland became very diverse Britain did not like the Dutch a colony between their Chesapeake & New England colonies Explain the development of the mid-Atlantic colonies; include the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam and subsequent English takeover, and the settlement of Pennsylvania. In 1664, Britain seized the Dutch colony from Governor Stuyvesant & renamed it New York Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant resisted Britain’s takeover of New Netherlands but could not get the colonists to assist him

In what ways might Pennsylvania be different from other British colonies?

One of the most important middle colonies was Pennsylvania which was founded by William Penn in 1681

Penn was a member of a religious sect called Quakers who believed in the “Inner Light,” all people are equal, & that people can communicate directly with God

Penn founded his colony as a “holy experiment” to promote religious toleration He bought land from the Indians, banned slavery, & allowed a diverse population to move there

The middle colonies had two of the best ports for trade in America: Philadelphia & New York

The image below is from the “Lower South” colony of South Carolina The image below is from the “Lower South” colony of South Carolina. Which other colony might it be similar to? Why?

The Lower South colonies were the last British colonies to be formed The Carolinas & Georgia developed like Virginia with a cash crop economy, slavery, & gaps between rich & poor colonists Georgia was created by James Oglethorpe as a buffer colony between Carolina & Spanish Florida & was populated by British debtors & prisoners

In addition to the 13 colonies, Britain had colonies in the Caribbean Colonies like Barbados & Jamaica were profitable, producing sugar for Britain In addition to the 13 colonies, Britain had colonies in the Caribbean

Life in the British Colonies

Essential Question: What were the political, economic, & social characteristics of the British colonies in North America?

Government in the Colonies All British colonies were governed with a policy called Salutary Neglect British Parliament & the king controlled the colonies, but did not enforce its policies as long as Britain profited from the colonies Almost all the colonies had a royal governor, but their salaries were paid by the colonists so governors rarely overturned local laws

Government in the Colonies This loose control allowed the colonists to create their own colonial assemblies Colonial assemblies were democratic self-governments made up of colonists who passed their own laws & taxes Typically, colonial assemblies were controlled by the wealthy landowners

Two Examples of Colonial Government The Virginia House of Burgesses Massachusetts Town Meetings

Economics in the Colonies The American colonies were an important part of the trans-Atlantic trade network Economics in the Colonies The colonies produced profitable raw materials, such as tobacco, wheat, fish, indigo, & whale oil Britain sold manufactured goods back to the colonists, like clothing, tea, guns, & tableware

What were the top 3 colonial exports? South South Middle South New England New England

Economics in the Colonies Increased demand for colonial raw materials, increased the demand for African slaves Economics in the Colonies This network created a series of triangular trades among America, Europe, & Africa

Mercantilism By the 1650s, Britain began to embrace the economic policy of mercantilism based on the idea that the colonies exist to generate wealth for the mother country Mercantilism is based on the idea of a balance of trade in which a nation exports more than it imports

The Navigation Acts required the colonists to trade only with Britain Mercantilism meant that Britain began to control & regulate colonial trade In 1660, Britain began the first of a series of Navigation Acts designed to restrict colonial trade & increase British wealth The Navigation Acts required the colonists to trade only with Britain

All 13 of the British colonies participated in the trans-Atlantic trade… “Northern” Colonies “Southern” Colonies …But regional differences led to a long-term division between the “Southern” & “Northern” colonies

By the 1700s, church attendance in the colonies had declined In the 1730s & 1740s, the Great Awakening began as preachers used revivals to encourage religious conversions Outside of NE, 1 in 15 people was a member of a church; NE suffered a decline in church attendance (1:5 were members)

Preachers like Jonathan Edwards & George Whitefield were popular evangelists Preachers used “fire & passion” & camp revivals” to encourage people to examine their faith The Great Awakening led to a rise of new religious denominations like Methodists & Baptists The Great Awakening took place in all colonies & became the first national American event