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Characteristics Of The New England Colonies

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During the seventeenth century most of the early settlers came to America in order escape what they considered English tyranny. Most of the colonies consisted of diverse people from different European countries such as, England, Scotland, Ireland, Russia, Spain, and France. The environment created many challenges for early settlers looking to start a new life in the ever expanding new world. As more immigrants settled in the colonies, they were becoming more and more like the country they had fled, but at the same time they were becoming different form one another, which resulted in two different social groups separated by a region, New England and Chesapeake. New England states included, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island whereas Chesapeake states included Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. What set them apart was their different views towards religion, economy, and politics.
Most of the people who settle in the Chesapeake region were farmers, second sons of gentries, and indenture servants, while most of the settlers in New England consisted of puritans, separatist, and families. Indentured servants came to America on fixed terms of servitude expanding from four to five years. Once they completed their terms, their masters were to grant the males clothing, tools, and occasionally land, but in the end, they were left with nothing. As for the women, upon competing their term, they were expected to marry.

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