Diverse Cultures in the Colonies Essay

Those that came here seeking a better life and a better economic future were often met with troubles from the start. Many couldn’t afford the trip over so were contracted to act as servants for a number of years. Once the contract is completed, they were free to do as they wished. There were also those that were brought here against their will as slaves. These were prominently Africans that were bought and sold through along trade routes. There was an estimate of about 700,000 slaves in the colonies by 1790. There were convicts that England sent over that they could no longer afford to house or willing to keep (History.com Staff,

First, England wanted to let American Colonists make their own Government and they did. The colonist from colonies in Massachusetts made their Government around religious ideas, in Pennsylvania made theirs around religious tolerance, and Virginia made the first elected government call the House of Burgess. At The House

     In contrast to the well-defined and hereditary classes of England, the colonies developed a fluid class structure that enabled industrious individuals to rise on the social ladder. America was truly the land of opportunity for the hardworking. While the English social ladder was set in stone, with land-owning lords in control, America had no such nobility. Most white Americans were farmers, but land-owning farmers. The larger

Diversity in the American Colonies: The Formation of English, Native American, African and German Identities

The thirteen colonies started in 1607, before this England tried to do a colony called Jamestown unfortunately it failed to become a colony. Later the king that had tried to start the Jamestown colony died, then in 1607 the new king and queen Elizabeth I decided to try again this time it worked the first colony was called Virginia and was named after Queen Elizabeth I. Virginia was not dominated by a specific religion they welcomed Baptists, Anglicans, and others. The thirteen colonies included Virginia, Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.

One might think that all of the British colonies in the new world were all the same. This is not the case though. The colonies, although they were all British they had some similarities but mainly they had differences. The Southern, New England and Middle colonies clearly show theses similarities and differences, particularly in terms of land, labor, religion, and native relations.

The colonies in the New World appeared completely different and the prospect of any unity between them seemed impossible. The colonies in New England and the Chesapeake exemplify the many differences in the culture and lifestyles of the settlers, created mainly because of the fact that their founding fathers had held separate intentions when they came to the New World.

Most colonies had a powerful royal governor appointed by the King of England. These royal governors often held massive power, being able to do things that even the king could not do, such as vetoing legislation and dismissing judges. They also served as the military commander for their province. In most colonies, adult, white, and land-owning males were permitted to vote in elections. The New England colonies’ governments were dominated by religion. They followed a unique form of church government known as congregationalism, where the people, known as the saints, pledged to follow God’s law. In the Middle colonies, a document called Duke’s Laws guaranteed religious toleration and created local governments. The colonies had Councils and Assemblies that gathered to initiate legislation. In the Southern colonies, one of the first representative-style governments was created. The House of Burgesses was created in 1619 in Virginia by Sir Edwin Sandys, and was created mostly to make the colony more attractive to wealthy

Politically, Virginia and New England differed in the basis of their governing systems. Virginia focused on the desire of its individuals: “(t)hat our governors by reason of the corruption of those times they lived in, laid the foundation of our wealth and industry on the vices of men.” This standard of government was an early precursor to democracy and allowed Virginian’s to feel the rights of being freemen. New England, instead of basing their government on the individual desires of man, governed the colony on the basis of Christianity. The New England settlers strongly believed the spirit of God would deliver them and create greatness in the colony: “the God of Israel is among us, and ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies. The Lord will make our name a praise and glory.” The colony wanted to be set above the rest, or in other words,

Between 1607 and 1733, Great Britain established thirteen colonies in the New World along the land’s eastern coast. England’s colonies included Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Though the colonies were classified as New England, middle or southern colonies, the colonists developed a unifying culture. With this new American culture, the colonists throughout the colonies began to think differently than their English cousins. Because colonial America displayed characteristics of a democratic society and, therefore, deviated from England’s monarchic ways, it was established as a democratic society.

Colonists: About 250,000 Spanish emigrants populated the newly established cities; they saw the New World as an opportunity for success. As the natives died off Africans and their children replaced them. As mixing production rose due to Spanish women scarcely traveling to the new world, the government created a hierarchy known as castas to keep social order.

These colonists were motivated by greed and saw a better opportunity to become rich. Therefore the settlers came over from England. A Virginia ship list in 1625 reports the number of people to be transported to Virginia (Doc C). In comparison to New England, there were very few women or families. Most of the people were men of about 20-30 years of age. The ratios and ages suggest that these people were looking to make money over starting families. The Chesapeake colonies were mostly funded by England. The Governor of Virginia, William Berkeley, asked the King of England to help out (Doc G). These colonies maintained fairly close relations with England. They considered themselves part of and under England, and still owed allegiance to England. The Chesapeake region had a colonial assembly. These were mostly local people of the colony. There was also a governor who was appointed by the King of England. The local people of the colony - the colonial assembly- and the English appointed governor shared political power over the region. The House of Burgesses was established in 1619 and was the first representative government in the New World. Similar to the Chesapeake region, the Southern colonies were founded by the upper class and gentry of England. The reason for this was that there were vast areas of land available that were valuable for farming. The Carolinas were

The colonies had developed a strong sense of their identity and unity as Americans by the eve of the Revolution. The Pre-Revolutionary Period showed how the English colonies buckled down and united. They grew into one major entity which was not going to be taken for a fool, especially not by England.      When England engaged in the French and Indian War (1754-1763), the colonies and their mother country joined together to fight the French. The colonies used popular images to entice people to join the war effort.

Rhode Island and Pennsylvania were examples of the two most democratic colonies of colonial America. Not all of the colonies were like this. For example, in (1629) non-separatists Puritans left from England and started a new colony called the Massachusetts Bay Colony. People who did not agree with their views were often banished. Anne Hutchinson was one of these people who were banished. She was banished because she argued against the Puritan belief of predestination. She had a trial and from there was forced out of the colony. Another person that was kicked out of the colony was a man named Roger Williams. Williams was exiled from the colony because he was found to have “new and dangerous opinions” that disagreed with already established Puritan beliefs. Also, men that were not a part of a Puritan congregation could not vote in provincial elections. Freedom in this colony was somewhat limited.

Due to the fact that they were developing another colony or state in the U.S and these people were about commonwealth, freedom. They have creative minds and were ideologist which he state much like the American people today. They wanted religious freedom for the people in America. They brought with them necessities and tools to survive in the New World. They created a Government that had equal rights much like it is in America today. The people continued their tradition over the years. These