Through the 16th and 17th centuries European Nations colonized their way across the New World. through ruthless murders of Native Americans and endless colonization, they gained access to the valuable resources the New World had to offer. Consequently, colonies settled by different nations, in the early 18th century had created their own individual societies that operated a lot different from each other. These colonies were founded on different terms, and their labor systems, and the needs for labor, were completely different. Although they had their differences, their attitudes toward the Native Americans remained constant throughout the different colonies. The New England colonies were founded on a religious basis, while the Chesapeake colonies …show more content…
The laborers in the Chesapeake were mainly unfree African American slaves, who were allowed very little rights, as stated by the Statutes of Virginia, written by money hungry Virginian men who felt that slaves were inferior to them (Doc 5). Due to this the population of African Americans in the Chesapeake colonies was much higher than the New England colonies (Doc 7). While the majority of the labor were African Americans, indentured servants were also used as a form of labor, and were treated no worse. As it was described by one particular indentured servant, who states that conditions are much worse than they are said to be, and that he was happier in England than he was being an indentured servant (Doc 1). Now, this isn’t to say that there weren’t slaves present in the New England colonies but compared to the population of slaves in the Chesapeake, there weren’t nearly as many, and it simply wasn’t that important for their economy. While the main source of labor was now African Americans and Indentured servants, they had earlier tried to force Native Americans to work for …show more content…
They welcomed the natives, and willingly started trading with them. They wanted to turn these uncivilized people into civilized Christians. While some Native tribes embraced the English culture, some resisted the colonists’ attempts to change them. Their refusal to conform to European culture, made Europeans angry. Consequently, hostilities soon broke out between the two groups such as the Massacre at Pequot village (Doc 3). This violence of these confrontations with the Native Americans caused a shift in English attitudes towards different races. While, their failure to make the Native Americans part of their culture, caused them to associate all people of color with negative characteristics, some, such as Nathaniel Bacon, who led a rebellion against the Native Americans as he felt that they had to suppressed, felt a sense of .guilt, as they realized that many times they had held innocent Native Americans accountable for the deeds of another (Doc
First, English seeking religious freedom caused a shift in the English/Native initial relationship, like the pilgrims did a whole century before. The English wanted to incorporate their Christian relationship into the Natives religion, as said in Document 1. “Be it enacted by this present assembly that for laying a surer foundation of the conversion of the Indians to Christian religion, each town, city, borough, and particularly plantation…” The English wanted to put a vital part of their everyday life into the lives of the Natives living and thriving around them. Another source, Source 3, was Matthaes Merian, “An Indian Massacre of 1622,” which was initiated by religion. In 1622, it was apparent to the Indians that the colonists intended to expand their holdings in Virginia. The Indians felt threatened by this physical expansion, but were even more concerned about the
During the 1700's, people in the American colonies lived in very distinctive societies. While some colonists led hard lives, others were healthy and prosperous. The two groups who showed these differences were the colonists of the New England and Chesapeake Bay areas. The differentiating characteristics among the Chesapeake and New England colonies developed due to economy, religion, and motives for colonial expansion. The colonists of the New England area possessed a very happy and healthy life. This high way of living was due in part to better farming, a healthier environment, and a high rate of production because of more
The warfare was also made unpreventable by the Puritans’ highly ingrained religious belief that regarded the colonists as being superior to the natives and thus made them intolerant to differences in cultures. According to Alan Taylor, “[a] leading New Englander denounced ‘the lawlessnesse of liberty of conscience’ as an invitation to heresy and anarchy, and ultimately to divine anger and punishment.” This shows how the Puritans did not stand any difference in religious beliefs, as they deemed any act of disbelief a foul action provoking the divine wrath. The evidence of how the Puritans viewed their act of violence as God’s will is
Today, the United States of America is a very racially and religiously diverse society. We saw the seeds of diversity being sown in the early days of colonization when the Chesapeake and New England colonies grew into distinctive societies. Even though both regions were primarily English, they had similarities as well as striking differences. The differentiating characteristics among the Chesapeake and New England colonies developed due to geography, religion, and motives for colonial expansion.
New England and the Chesapeake region were both settled largely by people of English origin, but by the 1700’s they were two distinct societies. They differed politically, economically, and socially, and these differences stemmed from when people first arrived in the colonies to how the colonies grew over time.
Although the Chesapeake and New England colonies were the earliest English colonies to flourish in the New World, they were both extremely different in the ways that they developed. Similarities between the colonies can be found, but the colonies were mostly different. The colonies differed most in religion, society, culture, economy, and their relationships with the American Indians of the region. The reasons for such differences can be understood by realizing that the colonies were settled by incredibly different people who possessed different cultures, religious beliefs, and motivations for settling in their respective colonies in the first place. The Chesapeake and New England colonies had similarities and differences in their development, including how each colony affected nearby American Indians. Their differences and similarities can be understood by analyzing each colony’s geography, economy, religions, and cultures.
Although both the New England Colonies (Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire), and the Chesapeake Colonies (Virginia and Maryland) were both settled by people of English origin, by 1700 they were both very distinct for a multitude of reasons; Three of which being, their economics, African Slave population, and their life expectancies.
Some of the most populous colonies were the ones situated in the Chesapeake and New England areas. Although these colonies were both settled by the English and had other key similarities, there were also many differences between them. The New England and Chesapeake colonies both had an aristocracy that governed over them, and had frequent issues concerning the Native Americans that previously inhabited the lands. However, their political and economic systems were considerably different. Chesapeake had an oligarchy whose main export was tobacco, while New England had a theocracy whose exports included timber, fur, and fish. Therefore, although the colonies had similarities their differences outweighed the resemblances.
During the late 16th century and into the 17th century, two colonies emerged from England in the New World. The two colonies were called the Chesapeake and New England colonies. Even though the two areas were formed and governed by the English, the colonies had similarities as well as differences. Differences in geography, religion, politics, economic, and nationalities, were responsible for molding the colonies. These differences came from one major factor: the very reason the English settlers came to the New World. The Chesapeake colonies were primarily created by companies interested in profiting from the natural resources of the New World such as gold or silver to bring back to England. The New England colonies were primarily created
During the late 16th century and into the 17th century, two colonies emerged from England in the New World. The two colonies were called the Chesapeake and New England colonies. Even though the two areas were formed and governed by the English, the colonies had similarities as well as differences. Differences in geography, religion, politics, economic, and nationalities, were responsible for molding the colonies. These differences came from one major factor: the very reason the English settlers came to the New World. The Chesapeake colonies were primarily created by companies interested in profiting from the natural resources of the New World such as gold or silver to bring back to England. The New England colonies were primarily created to escaped religious persecution and set up a haven for people of their faith. The inhabitants of the New England area were far healthier. Their clean water supply was a sharp contrast to the contaminated waters of Chesapeake Bay. The cool climate had a good impact on colonists because it prevented the spread of life-threatening diseases. Because of New England’s cool climate, many people died during severe winters. Chesapeake’s climate had positive and negative factors as well. The warm, moist climate in the Chesapeake colonies carried diseases that killed many of the colonists. In contrast to the New England colonists, the Chesapeake colonists did not have to worry as much about surviving cold winters. The natural resources of the
From the mid seventeenth century to the late eighteenth century, the English colonies in the Chesapeake Bay area and in Barbados experienced a fluctuating level of prosperity, the wealthy inevitably dominating the economic scene. These colonies, while ultimately different in their methods of success, possessed the same goal of continuous prosperity and their existence allowed England to ascend to the rank of world power.
The 17th century saw the foundation and expansion of nearly all of Britain’s colonies on the Atlantic seaboard. This time saw the development of two distinct regions in this New World: the northern New England and the southern Chesapeake Bay region. Both regions attempted to recreate some aspects of English economy, society, and religion in their settlements, but they only did so to the extent which they felt fit for their new way of life. As such, the Chesapeake and New England regions, in the 17th century, developed similarities through their English heritage, but distinct differences as they pursued different goals and adapted to the specific demands of their unique environment. Both regions’ economic system were centered around providing
Thousands of years before white settlers arrived, millions of Native Americans had flourished and lived off of the land of North America. The Native Americans were overall a peaceful people, using only violence when seldom necessary. They developed farming and learned how to live off of the land, all while sustaining a bright and lively culture. After living among the Natives, John Collier, reflected on their spirit: “Could we make it our own, there would be an eternally inexhaustible earth and a forever lasting peace” (63). Upon the arrival of the whites, the Native Americans welcomed the strangers with hospitality and gifts, but the settlers would eventually treat the Native American 's with hostility. The whites saw the Native American 's as a nuisance, taking up land they wanted for their own people. The settlers saw themselves superior to the Natives, but they could not demand the Indians work for them as Columbus had. Many colonists settled within Native American provinces—Jamestown itself was built on Native
The English on the other hand went in quite the opposite direction when it came to dealing with the indigenous people of the area. The English went more the “shunning and eventually isolating the Indians” (22) route which had lead to some high tensions between the colonists and the Native Americans. Soon after the landing of the English on American soil, tensions had grown to quite violent proportions. The English, even seen as a prospective ally to the Native Americans soon showed their political standing through when they were constantly “raiding Indian food supplies”(30) when they were starving. Instead of figuring some deal out diplomatically they stole and attacked the Native Americans for supplies. Spanish and English colonies were not only different for their treatment of the Native Americans politically, but also how both colonies were run by their government. Whether their government came mainly from their homeland or internally. Both colonies of course had to be controlled somewhat by their homeland countries because they were still technically part of the homeland. The colonies had differing degrees of freedom when it came to governing their colonies. The English colonies were for the most part free of their homeland towards the end of the century when they had
After waiting over 100 years before England joined the race for colonization, in 1607 England has finally established a permanent colony in Jamestown. Years later, in 1620, supposedly trying to land in Virginia, the Puritans accidentally landed in Plymouth Massachusetts. Therefore, while New England and the Chesapeake region were both settled and ruled by the English, by the 1700s they had evolved into two very separate distinct societies due to the differences in colonization, settlers, and economic activities in each region.