1.1b The English Colonies

UHSC 1.1 Summarize the distinct characteristics of each colonial region in the settlement and development of British North America, including religious, social, political, and economic differences.

English Colonies

New England Colonies- Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut

The Middle Colonies- New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware

The Southern Colonies- Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia

Colonial Government:

The British adopted a policy of ***salutary neglect in dealing with its colonies. It left its colonies alone to govern themselves.

Using England’s model of representative government the colonies also tended to develop representative government and colonial legislatures developed most of the political power.

***The first colonial legislature in the new world was The House of Burgesses in Virginia (1619), although all colonies developed some type of government.

The Southern Colonies

***Jamestown, Virginia ( 1st permanent English settlement)

Joint-Stock Company- Virginia Company was a joint-stock company owned by investors who hoped to make money off the products and raw materials the colony would provide.

Jamestown, Virginia

The Southern Colonies Continued Economy- Tobacco in Virginia, Maryland,

North Carolina, Hotter and wetter climates of South Carolina and Georgia relied on rice and indigo. These crops were ***cash crops or crops grown for money, and are also called ***staple crops because they are in large demand and provide the bulk of a regions income. The Southern Colonies also produced tar, pitch, and turpentine from the abundant forests.

The Southern Colonies continued The Plantation System- Huge farms owned by

wealthy landowners who raised cash crops. They needed a lot of labor. ***Indentured Servants- were people who could not

afford to come to the colonies on their own. They agreed to work for a land owner for seven years in exchange for paying for the trip over.

Slavery- When the supply of indentured servants in England lessoned, African Slavery became the dominant labor system. This system became codified or put into law and a person was legally owned.

Most early plantations developed on major rivers, where crops could be put directly on ships, no major commerce centers developed.

Southern Society in early colonies

***Southern class distinctions: 1. Rich landowners (Gentry) 2. Poor farmers 3. Slaves

The Gentry The rich landowners who were considered superior to the poorer

classes and held the positions of power and authority. Education-They sent their children to school at home, in England, or

hired tutors while most other classes had no education at all. Southern colonies were established for economic reasons rather

than religious reasons except for Maryland which was established a colony for Catholics.

***The Act of Toleration was promoted Lord Baltimore to protect the rights of Catholics from persecution by Maryland Puritans.

Most other rich landowners tended to remain part of the Anglican Church.

Eventually Methodist and Baptists congregations became common among the poorer classes.

EOC Sample Questions:All of the following were motivations which Europeans had for colonizing

the Americas except: A. Desire to become rich B. Religious conviction C. Desire to become famous and

honored back home D. Desire to start an independent

country

Tobacco and rice can BEST be described as which of the following? A. Staple crops of the Southern

Colonies B. Cash crops of New England C. Staple crops of the Middle Colonies D. Crops raised in urban centers of

commerce