Delaware (DE) New Jersey (NJ) New York (NY) Pennsylvania (PA)

 Some Background Information…  The climate in the Middle Atlantic was good for crops like wheat and corn.  They made so much bread from the wheat that this region was nicknamed “The Breadbasket Colonies!”

Lesson 1

  Not long after the English started colonies, the Dutch (from Holland) began to build settlements.  Henry Hudson claimed parts of New York, New Jersey and Delaware for Holland back in  In 1626 the Dutch began building a fort on Manhattan Island. The Dutch called this land (city) “New Amsterdam.”  This land is now New York City! New Netherland

  New Netherland became the colony of New York.  New Amsterdam became the city of New York City.

  The Dutch allowed settlers from many countries like France, Italy and Spain.  People that were of the Jewish faith started to settle in New Amsterdam.  BUT Jews did not have the same rights Christians had.

  New Netherland’s capital city was New Amsterdam.  In 1646 the Dutch West India Company appointed Peter Stuyvesant as “director general” of New Netherland.  New Netherland was in trouble because the government was having problems, and the settlers were fighting.  Stuyvesant started to solve these problems, but he would not let the colonists have a voice in the government. New Netherland Becomes New York

  King Charles II of England thought the Dutch were getting too powerful/ crowded so England declared war on the Dutch.  King Charles II told his brother the Duke of York, he could have all the Dutch colonies if he captured them.  England got what they wanted, and Stuyvesant had to give up the colony to the English.  The English took control of New Netherland and split it into “New Jersey” and “New York.” Peter Stuyvesant

  The Duke of York hired people to sell his new land to colonists who were willing to settle in North America.  A group of people that moved to New Jersey were the Quakers.  Edward Byllinge was a Quaker leader.  Quakers believe violence is always wrong so they refuse to carry guns or fight.  Quakers left England because they refused to fight for the king. They hoped to find refuge in New Jersey. New Jersey

Quaker company agrees with Quaker values.

  King Charles II gave a charter to William Penn (he was a Quaker).  The English king granted the charter because he owed Penn’s father a favor.  Pennsylvania means “Penn’s Woods.” Pennsylvania and Delaware

 Penn was responsible for the government in his colony.  In 1682 Penn wrote a document called: “The Frame of Government of Pennsylvania.”  A general assembly (a group of citizens) made laws.  Citizens had freedom of speech, religion and a fair trial by jury.

  Penn also had good relationships with Indian tribes in the area.  William Penn also became the owner of Delaware.  Penn granted them their own general assembly.

  Most people in the Middle Atlantic Colonies made their money by farming.  Farmers depended on market towns as places to trade their surplus produce and livestock (food and animals).  Markets sold other goods too like cloth, shoes, lumber and buttons.  Nearby a mill was where grain was ground into flour. Market Towns

  In general the Middle Atlantic Colonies were more welcoming of different religions.  Most towns had more than one kind of church and people became interested in other religions.  During the 1730’s and 1740’s a period of time called “The Great Awakening” called for a rebirth of the religious ways of life.