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Compare And Contrast Chesapeake Bay Colonies And New England Colonies

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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

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