Introduction
The early years of the Virginia colony witnessed a significant interaction and clash of
cultures, religious beliefs, and economic philosophies. The intersection of the Puritans, Quakers,
and Dutch Reformists within the colony created a landscape ripe for analysis. This paper will
explore the profound influence of the Puritans and Quakers on the economic and religious fabrics
of the Virginia colonists and the colony itself.
Puritans
The most notable effect that the Puritans had on the Virginia colony was their installation
of robust trade networks. Puritans also utilized their shipping routes between colonies to
establish communication and create religious connections across the English and Dutch Atlantic
regions. Intercolonial merchants who visited Virginia, including individuals like John Stone,
David Peterson De Vries, Edward Gibbons, Isaac Allerton, Jr., and Augustine Herman, often
identified as Puritans or belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church (p. 50).
Religiously, the Puritans sought a strict adherence to what they perceived as the true
teachings of the Bible. They established churches in Virginia that were free from the influence of
the English church, emphasizing individual Bible reading and personal piety. Most notably, the
migration of intercolonial merchants led to a widespread presence of Calvinism in the
Chesapeake regions (p.51) This had a dual effect: while it led to an increase in religious literacy
among colonists, it also introduced tension with other religious groups and the colony's
administration due to the Puritan’s stringent views and resistance to religious dissent.
Quakers
The Quakers differed significantly from the Puritans in their economic approach. The
Quakers relied more heavily on overland trade routes, which made them less dependent on
