EQ: How did the regions of the colonies differ from one another? Life in the Colonies

What was life like in New England? Immigration was important to the growth of this region. Between 1607 & 1775, 690,000 Europeans came to this region. Women aided in New England’s growth as they intended to marry early and have very large families. The farms were smaller than southern ones.

How did economic conditions differ? Subsistence farming-when farmers produced just enough for their families with very little to sell or trade. Under these conditions, everyone in a New England family was expected to work outside the family farm. The towns there were well-organized with meetinghouses for church services & town meetings.

How did people make a living in New England? New England had its share of small businesses. Land owners used the waterpower from their streams to run mills for grinding grain or sawing lumber. Women made home goods to sell to the public. Large towns had skilled craftspeople to make shoes, furniture, guns, & metals.

How did they use their surroundings? New England also relied on their fishing. They became well-known for their cod, halibut, crabs, oysters, & lobsters. Some even went far out to sea to hunt whales for their oil and whalebone. To compliment this industry, ship-building was a vital part of New England’s economy. Forest products came through New England’s rivers to the towns.

The Colonial Trade The ship-building industry linked New England with the rest of the colonies. The region became linked with the triangular trade. Ships from the West Indies took sugar & molasses to New England to make rum. The rum was used to purchase slaves from Africa. Slaves were brought back to the colonies.

What was the “Middle Passage?” The middle portion of the triangular trade was the transport of slaves from Africa. Slaves were crammed in several compartments in ships and once they were unloaded they were replaced with rum for more slaves. Between the years of 1450-1870 nearly 10 million Africans were sent to the Americas and the adjacent islands.

What were the middle colonies like? This region had a milder climate than New England and had larger farms. New York & Pennsylvania grew large amounts of wheat and cash crops (that can be sold easily in markets & overseas). New York City & Philadelphia became busy seaports and grew substantially. By 1760, these cities were the largest in the colonies.

What were the benefits of religious tolerance? As you recall, religious tolerance enabled the middle colonies much more diversity than the Puritan ran New England region. German immigrants numbered over 100,000 and became successful farmers. Germans were Protestant and along with Dutch, Swedish, and other immigrants that worked in mills and small-scale manufacturing.

How did slavery change the Southern Colonies? Slavery changed the indentured servant labor force to slave labor because it was less expensive and slaves were plentiful. Tobacco prices fell sharply during this time mainly because there was a surplus of it due to slave labor. Rice became more profitable than tobacco and South Carolina & Georgia had the fastest growing economies.

How did the economies differ by geography? In the south, most all of the plantations were in the Tidewater region because of its flat land and access to the coast. They were put along the rivers so crops could be shipped to the coast by boat. The Appalachian Mountains were peppered with small farms and outnumbered the large plantations. The plantations were far wealthier.

What was slavery really like? Overseers-bosses that kept slaves working hard, were hired by the plantation owners. Slave codes kept the slaves on the plantations and were not allowed to leave without the master’s permission. These laws made it possible to whip slaves for minor offenses or execute slaves for serious offenses. Some learned trades and bought their freedom.

What did organized religions do about slavery? In Pennsylvania, Quakers and Mennonites condemned slavery. In New England, the Puritans refused to hold enslaved people. In the south, Quakers became involved in sending slaves to freedom in the northern colonies. Eventually this conflict would lead to a bloody war pitting the North against the South.

In your Cornell Notes… Answer the EQ: How did the regions of the colonies differ from one another? Check your answers at the door to be your ticket out.