In the beginning of the 17th Century, when other European countries like Spain had already established well developed colonies in the Americas, Britain was just starting its exploration activities, having dealt with multiple problems in the country. The two main regions of English settlement were the New England Colonies, and the Chesapeake Bay colonies, both of which developed differently, owing to the different terrain, climate, resources, demographics and intents. While the earlier Chesapeake colonies were started with the intent of spreading Christianity, they soon turned into commercial enterprises, maximizing profits through cash crops like tobacco. On the other hand, the Northern colonies of Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, etc. were …show more content…
However, soon after Virginia became a royal colony under governor William Berkeley, an aristocrat who catered to the wealthiest planters, the economic disparity widened as large planters dominated the tobacco market with low prices, making it impossible for smaller farmers to compete. By 1676, half the population of white settlers was landless, and these colonies started to see an influx in African slaves from the international market, as their economy was dependent on cheap labor. In stark contrast, the northern New England colonies, like Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth, composed largely of middle class families, had very few indentured servants, and no planter elite. Due to the short growing season and less fertile soil, these farmers were not as successful; instead, the economy depended upon activities like fishing, fur trading and shipbuilding, exploiting the old-growth trees and the abundance and diversity of wildlife. New England’s focus was not on economic …show more content…
The New England colonies like Plymouth, and Massachusetts Bay were centered on the church. Their religion was family-based and practiced with piety. In 1650, for example, in Massachusetts, there was 1 minister for 415 settlers. Most early settlers were devout puritans on a mission to create a model Christian society for England to emulate. The Chesapeake colonies of Virginia and Maryland, on the other hand, were quite lenient about religion, and centered on economic gains. The established church was the Anglican Church, only established in 1692. Many people never went or participated in the
Thanks to men like Christopher Columbus the world became an explorer's oyster. The findings of new created much curiosity in Europe to explore and conquer new lands in order to expand their empire. In the early 1600’s a surge of motivation to explore and settle new colonies came over England. The Result of this was the New England and Chesapeake colonies, who were both settled by immigrants from England. Many people decided they needed to escape England due to religious persecution and poverty. Hundreds of families, men, women, and their children, came in search of a New World where they could have a new start. Despite the striking similarities between the two colonies they grew
During the 1700's, people in the American colonies lived in very distinctive societies. While some colonists led hard lives, others were healthy and prosperous. The two groups who showed these differences were the colonists of the New England and Chesapeake Bay areas. The differentiating characteristics among the Chesapeake and New England colonies developed due to economy, religion, and motives for colonial expansion. The colonists of the New England area possessed a very happy and healthy life. This high way of living was due in part to better farming, a healthier environment, and a high rate of production because of more
During the mid 17th century two regions carved roots for England in North America. Coming from the same homeland one would assume their inner workings would closely mirror each other but this was not the case for the New England and Chesapeake colonies. Though faced with similar hardships, the ways they handled the difficulties starkly contrast one another.
Unlike the Chesapeake, the New England colonies were greatly interested in their long-term colonization efforts. A man by the name of John Winthrop led the Puritans, which composed the New England colonies. He believed that their colony was “a city on the hill,” as described in the book of Matthew. The Puritans were a fervent religious colony, where the church was never disputed. There were some historical cases when the Puritan people would speak out and therefore speak out against the church; the story of Anne Hutchinson was just such a case. She held weekly meetings in her home where her and her husband would interpret the bible for their followers. In addition she noted that not all the clergy would be saved and attacked many of their teachings. She was banished and took her husband and seven kids to Road Island where religion was not as strict. The New England colonies survived on exporting lumber, grain and the production of ships. The Puritans wanted to be the model society; they did
Stated in the Articles of Agreement, in Springfield, Massachusetts "do mutually agree to certain articles and order to be observed and kept by us and by our successor" (Doc D.) The New England Colonies created and obeyed by their laws and orders. The Chesapeake colonies economically was very stable once they were settled. They focused on large scale plantations such a tobacco, rice and indigo. Therefore, The Chesapeake had slaves to work their plantations. In Governor Berkeley and His Council on Their Inability to Defend Virginia Against a Dutch Attack, states "(Besides Negroes) as there are freemen to defend the shores and all out frontiers." (Doc G.) This Document shows that they had many slave in the Chesapeake colonies. The New England colonies had more focus on small scale farming and manufacturing goods such as lumber, Shipbuilding and whaling. They did not have many plantation colonies. The New England colonies did not use any slave labor.
Although the Chesapeake and New England colonies were the earliest English colonies to flourish in the New World, they were both extremely different in the ways that they developed. Similarities between the colonies can be found, but the colonies were mostly different. The colonies differed most in religion, society, culture, economy, and their relationships with the American Indians of the region. The reasons for such differences can be understood by realizing that the colonies were settled by incredibly different people who possessed different cultures, religious beliefs, and motivations for settling in their respective colonies in the first place. The Chesapeake and New England colonies had similarities and differences in their development, including how each colony affected nearby American Indians. Their differences and similarities can be understood by analyzing each colony’s geography, economy, religions, and cultures.
During the 17th and 18th century, English residents felt that England was over-crowded and intolerable. They wanted to lessen these problems that rose up because of the large population increase and to establish more religious freedom (Horn). The English believed that the best way to go about this was to colonize the New World. Subsequently, many colonies began to develop, and of these colonies, Massachusetts Bay and Virginia were the most well-known. The early settlements of Massachusetts and Virginia were both established by similar groups of people at the same time; furthermore, their contrasting beginnings as a colony, views on religion, and method of economic stability all contributed to our American heritage today.
Some of the most populous colonies were the ones situated in the Chesapeake and New England areas. Although these colonies were both settled by the English and had other key similarities, there were also many differences between them. The New England and Chesapeake colonies both had an aristocracy that governed over them, and had frequent issues concerning the Native Americans that previously inhabited the lands. However, their political and economic systems were considerably different. Chesapeake had an oligarchy whose main export was tobacco, while New England had a theocracy whose exports included timber, fur, and fish. Therefore, although the colonies had similarities their differences outweighed the resemblances.
During the late 16th century and into the 17th century, two colonies emerged from England in the New World. The two colonies were called the Chesapeake and New England colonies. Even though the two areas were formed and governed by the English, the colonies had similarities as well as differences. Differences in geography, religion, politics, economic, and nationalities, were responsible for molding the colonies. These differences came from one major factor: the very reason the English settlers came to the New World. The Chesapeake colonies were primarily created by companies interested in profiting from the natural resources of the New World such as gold or silver to bring back to England. The New England colonies were primarily created
When comparing and contrasting the Chesapeake and New England colonies you find that there are many differences and a few similarities. These differences and similarities revolve around the colonies geography, economic characteristics, religious characteristics, and why they were founded. These differences developed in the colonies based off where they are, how they were ran, and how wealthy they were. The development of these colonies also affected the American Indians in a few different ways. Let start by comparing major difference of the geography between Chesapeake and New England colonies. New England colonies had cold weather and poor dry soil which made for a short growing season. This made it harder to grow food so most families just had a small farm for personal gain, there weren’t plantations. The New England colonies also had natural harbors and a lot of the land was covered in forests. In contrast to the New England colonies the Chesapeake colonies has hot humid weather, with long growing seasons, and excellent soil that was great for plantation and along with rivers that flowed throughout the colonies. Now let’s take a look at the differences in the economical characteristics between the colonies. In New England because of their geographical conditions they couldn’t grow crops in large plantation to make profits so they had to rely on other means to make income. Since the land was covered in forests they use the timber to expand the shipbuilding industries. They
During the late 16th century and into the 17th century, two colonies emerged from England in the New World. The two colonies were called the Chesapeake and New England colonies. Even though the two areas were formed and governed by the English, the colonies had similarities as well as differences. Differences in geography, religion, politics, economic, and nationalities, were responsible for molding the colonies. These differences came from one major factor: the very reason the English settlers came to the New World. The Chesapeake colonies were primarily created by companies interested in profiting from the natural resources of the New World such as gold or silver to bring back to England. The New England colonies were primarily created to escaped religious persecution and set up a haven for people of their faith. The inhabitants of the New England area were far healthier. Their clean water supply was a sharp contrast to the contaminated waters of Chesapeake Bay. The cool climate had a good impact on colonists because it prevented the spread of life-threatening diseases. Because of New England’s cool climate, many people died during severe winters. Chesapeake’s climate had positive and negative factors as well. The warm, moist climate in the Chesapeake colonies carried diseases that killed many of the colonists. In contrast to the New England colonists, the Chesapeake colonists did not have to worry as much about surviving cold winters. The natural resources of the
Migrants flocking from Great Britain to the New World settled the New England and Chesapeake Bay colonies. These emigrants were driven by a variety of motives, ranging from economic liberation to religious freedom. The New World was seen as a hotspot for disease and brutality, but also a catalyst to creating a new life, whether one of piety or one of riches (document 10). As the century progressed, the colonies of New England and Chesapeake Bay followed divergent paths. The diversion of New England and Chesapeake colonies occurred due to differences between economic and religious motives of the original settlers.
Chesapeake Chesapeake were the Virginia colony named after Maryland. it's the area around the bay where Virginia and Maryland started. Jamestown an England colony was the first colony in Chesapeake. In 1607, English men and boys arrived to America to start settlement, they picked Jamestown, Virginia which became the first English settlement in North America.
The seventeenth century marked the start of great colonization and immigration to the New World that was North America. Mainly in on the eastern coast of what is now the United States, England established colonies on this new land to thrive socially and economically. The English government readily sent its citizens to America to exploit its abundant source of raw materials and the English people exponentially came to the colonies to start a new life for themselves and to thrive socially. In Virginia during the seventeenth century, the geographical attributes in this region allowed the establishment of the cash crop tobacco to rapidly transform the colony socially and economically. Particularly in the Chesapeake Bay, the goal of social and
Although England’s religious turmoil played a role in the development of British settlements, England’s economic problems fueled much of the settling of British North America. England’s economic situation caused many settlers to come for economic success rather than religious freedoms. Colonists fled to Massachusetts Bay not only to escape religious persecution but also economic decline. Settlers sent by the Virginia Company were attracted by the promises and opportunities to live a better life. Economics soon became the underlying reason for colonization in North America.