The Middle Colonies
Geography New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania Conditions favored farming: warm climate fertile soil
New York NY was Dutch colony of New Netherland economic success prosperous farming profitable fur trading problems Puritans hostile to Dutch rule tension between England - Holland
New York King Charles gives brother James rights to all Dutch lands James sends warships – Dutch surrender New Netherlands is now New York
New Jersey Became a colony when southern tip of NY split Was a proprietary colony a colony created by a grant of land from a monarch to an individual or family Later it became a royal colony a colony controlled directly by the English king
Pennsylvania Quakers – a religious group in England Beliefs all people had a direct link, or “inner light” with God did not need ministers all people were equal in God’s eyes spoke out against slavery women were considered equal to men
Pennsylvania Quakers refused to pay taxes to Church of England suffered from persecution William Penn – wealthy man knew King Charles II received land in North America called Pennsylvania
Penn’s “Holy Experiment” Goal – to create a colony in which people from different religions could live peacefully Penn – tried to deal fairly with Native Americans
Delaware Was part of Penn’s Pennsylvania Settlers did not want to send representatives to distant Philadelphia Penn gave area its own assembly and Delaware became its own colony
Growth and Change Pennsylvania was America’s breadbasket because it produced wheat from which flour for bread is made Successful farmers - wheat manufacturers – iron, flour, paper artisans – shoemakers, carpenters, masons, weavers and coopers
The Backcountry This was western section of Pennsylvania Backcountry – was a frontier region extending through several colonies to Georgia Settlers were German and Scotch-Irish