ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Economic Pursuits Southern Colonies Virginia (Chesapeake Bay) Tobacco Plantations operated by Indentured Servants and Slaves Northern Carolinas Fur trading with Native Amerindians (deer) An ecological disaster, changes natives way of life

ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Economic Pursuits Southern Colonies (cont.) Southern Carolinas Rice and Indigo slave labor plantations Based on Caribbean model (Barbados) Slaves and their descendents form the majority of the population

ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Economic Pursuits New England Colonies Poor soils for cash crops led to an economy based initially on - Fur trading Forest products Fishing Over time N.E.’s economy becomes focused on commerce and shipping, led by Boston’s merchant class. Large population follows.

ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Economic Pursuits Middle Atlantic Colonies New York , initially settled by the Dutch, became an important commercial and shipping center (location – outlet for grain heading to Caribbean and Europe) Pennsylvania became a wealthy grain-exporting colony; run by free family farmers.

Significant Differences ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Significant Differences Use of Slavery In the south the economy became based on the use of slavery Whereas in the north the economy was based on slave-less commercial activities

Significant Differences (cont.) ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Significant Differences (cont.) Social Hierarchy In the south there was a strong sense of social positioning – planter class on top, with slaves at bottom In the north there was less sense of hierarchy as there was a more homogenous population

Significant Differences (cont.) ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Significant Differences (cont.) Urban Centers In the south people were widely distributed, with large plantations (rural) and no large cities to speak of / Charleston In the north and the middle colonies people tended to centralize, with major business centers as the source of commercial activity (New York, Philadelphia and Boston)

Significant Differences (cont.) ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Significant Differences (cont.) Government In the south the governor was appointed by British royalty with a town centered representative organization (House of Burgesses,VA) In the north the governor was elected by the colonists, and the government featured a lower legislative house

Significant Differences (cont.) ENGLISH COLONIES IN N.A. Significant Differences (cont.) Religion In the south the predominant religions were Anglican and/or Catholic…push was for religious toleration In the north/MA, the predominant religion was the Puritan faith (wanted to “purify” the Anglican church) The middle colonies also featured the Quaker religion