Middle Colonies

Objectives Explain how Dutch New Netherland became English New York. Describe William Penn’s relationship with Indians in Pennsylvania. Compare and contrast the Pennsylvania Colony to other colonies.

Terms and People push factor – events and circumstances that motivate people to leave their homes pull factor – events and circumstances that attract people to a new location William Penn – wealthy Quaker Englishman who founded Pennsylvania Quaker – unlike Puritans, sought inner understanding of Bible, considered women equal, and were pacifists

What were the characteristics of the Middle Colonies? The English settled on the northern and southern Atlantic coast of North America. Swedes and Dutch settled small colonies on the mid-Atlantic coast. Later, the English came to control most of the Atlantic seaboard.

The Middle Colonies had excellent seaports, navigable rivers, and fertile land.

The Dutch West Indies Company spurred the development of New Netherland. 1609 Sent ships up the Hudson River to trade for furs with the Indians 1614 With traders and farmers, founded Fort Nassau (later called Fort Orange), now present-day Albany, New York 1625 Founded New Amsterdam at tip of Manhattan Island, now present-day city of New York

Characteristics of Dutch Colonies Settled mainly by farmers and traders from the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Norway Tolerated various religious groups including Jews, Baptists, and Lutherans Did not permit an elected assembly The Dutch West Indies Company appointed a governor and advisory council of colonial leaders. The Dutch West Indies Company bought land from Indians.

Push factors and pull factors decreased or increased immigration. The Netherlands England People enjoyed religious tolerance and had no religious reasons to leave. Puritans were persecuted and wanted freedom to worship in their own way. The country had a booming economy and few poor people. The country had a stagnant economy with a large number of poor people.

In 1655, the Dutch took command of New Sweden. In 1638, Swedish and Finnish farmers and traders built a small colony on the lower Delaware River in what is present-day Delaware. The colony expanded to parts of present-day New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant sent warships to New Sweden and assumed control of the colony.

The English and Dutch were intense rivals for global trade in the 1650s and 1660s. In 1664, the English sent an expedition and forced Stuyvesant to surrender his colony. As English warships threaten New Amsterdam, colonists plead with Peter Stuyvesant to surrender.

When the English moved into the Middle Colonies They renamed New Amsterdam to New York after the Duke of York The Duke of York took over governing the colony as a proprietary colony The Duke of York designated formation of a new colony in 1664, now present-day New Jersey

The Pennsylvania Colony was founded in 1682. Started by William Penn, a wealthy Quaker who cultivated peace with the Indians. Quaker beliefs No clergy leadership Women spiritually equal to men Pacifist—do not fight wars or bear arms Tolerate other faiths

Unlike other English leaders, Quaker William Penn bought land from the Indians.

Pennsylvania became William Penn’s “holy experiment” for political and religious freedom. Penn wrote a constitution that guaranteed fundamental liberties. Tolerant policies encouraged people from a broad range of religious backgrounds to immigrate. The colonists did not try to convert the Indians. Penn named the capital Philadelphia, which means “City of Brotherly Love.”

Each colony had its own approach. Massachusetts Bay Founded by Puritans seeking religious freedom Elected governor and assembly No religious tolerance Tried to convert Indians Took land from Indians Pennsylvania Founded by Quakers seeking religious freedom Had a constitution Religious tolerance Did not try to convert Indians Bought land from Indians Virginia Founded by people looking for new ways to succeed financially Appointed governor and elected assembly Little religious tolerance

The Middle Colonies enjoyed diversity. No single ethnic group or specific religious group had a majority in the Middle Colonies. This peaceful diversity went against the traditional belief that political order depended on ethnic and religious uniformity.

The diversity of the Middle Colonies became part of the nation’s character. The ethnic and religious pluralism in the Middle Colonies was an early example of how the United States later developed into a multicultural society.