The Colonies of Virginia and Massachusetts Bay During the 17th and 18th century, English residents felt that England was over-crowded and intolerable. They wanted to lessen these problems that rose up because of the large population increase and to establish more religious freedom (Horn). The English believed that the best way to go about this was to colonize the New World. Subsequently, many colonies began to develop, and of these colonies, Massachusetts Bay and Virginia were the most well-known. The early settlements of Massachusetts and Virginia were both established by similar groups of people at the same time; furthermore, their contrasting beginnings as a colony, views on religion, and method of economic stability all contributed to our American heritage today. The colonies of Virginia and Massachusetts Bay were the first successful English colonies, and they influenced the future for America (Levy). Although the …show more content…
One being their religions, in Jamestown they were Anglican, whereas in Mass. they were Puritan (Stokely). There is also the difference of geographic location. Massachusetts is located in the north where there are harsher weather conditions. Their location provided an excellent harbor and since the terrain did not allow much farming they started lumbering, shipbuilding, fishing, and trade. Virginia, in the south, where there is a much warmer climate, they had a great defensive position and were able to create prosperous plantations (Levy). The settlement in Massachusetts was made up of communities of family units because the colonists of Mass. came with their families (Sonia). Furthermore, the colonists of Jamestown were made up of individuals who understood the value of the crop tobacco, and were only there for the money. Virginia had an economy based on plantations and labor; Massachusetts was comprised of small farmers and merchants (“Instructions for the Virginia
Virginia and Massachusetts were both similar and different when it came to economic stability. The leaders of both colonies had similar goals for their settlement to be successful and economically stable. However the ways that they achieved it was different. Massachusetts and Virginia had plantations and estates set up. Since Virginia was better known for its tobacco growth— there were many plantations set up to grow the crop. On the other hand, Massachusetts (being a northern colony) was into seaport and selling fish. Even though both colonies had different estates and plantations, both started to suffer when the population increased due to many immigrants, which caused competition. Many colonists weren't able to find jobs due to an increase
During the mid 17th century two regions carved roots for England in North America. Coming from the same homeland one would assume their inner workings would closely mirror each other but this was not the case for the New England and Chesapeake colonies. Though faced with similar hardships, the ways they handled the difficulties starkly contrast one another.
The Virginia and Massachusetts colonies had many differences that initially separated them, however, they eventually united to gain independence from Britain. Virginia and Massachusetts were united by their mutual distaste of British Parliament, the fear that they were both going to be forced under Britain’s control, and the craving for a society of equal individuals. In the 1700s, the Virginia and Massachusetts’s colonies (besides the fact that they were both British settlements) had very little in common. From the size of the African slave population to how they earned money the colonies had many differences. In Virginia the citizens mainly planted tobacco, but in Massachusetts, the people earned money by fishing or building ships. The slave population in Virginia was also much lower than that of Massachusetts. In New England the life expectancy was 60 years of age however in the Chesapeake life expectancy was 45. Another major difference between the colonies was the literacy rates among white males. In Virginia the literacy rate was 60%, however, in Massachusetts, the literacy rate was a high 85%. Massachusetts and Virginia also had opposite approaches to attaining independence. After the many acts Britain passed, Massachusetts proactively foresaw the issue and threat to their liberty and responded aggressively. Virginia on the other hand only reacted to the British threat once they were directly targeted by the John Murray’s Dunmore’s Proclamation.
The seventeenth century brought thousands of immigrants to the New World in pursuit of freedom and a new life. Many wanted a chance to be free from the poverty in England, others desired freedom from religious persecution. As a result, the American colonies were created, Even though all colonies had English descent many separated into different regions like the New England and Chesapeake colonies because of religious, social ,and political differences. The Chesapeake colonies were created to profit off of gold but their warm climate and fertile land turn them into cash crop giants. On the other hand the New England colonies were trying to escape the religious havoc in England. New England's cold climate encouraged a diverse economy and compact towns which led to many advancements in their religion and education.
The settlement of Virginia represent an English colon in the New World of North America. These colonist land in the location of Jamestown. The settlers were the first English settlers. These colonist settled there from 1607 to 1707, during the American Revolution .The Colony of Virginia was nicknamed “ Old Dominion” for it loyalty to the English by King Charles. Add the info for other one. The settlement for Massachusetts were the Puritan later known as pilgrims. Theses settlers were also colonist from England. Jamestown landed on Virginia along the James River. Plymouth landed along t what is now Massachusetts Bay. These were the second to settle in the New World, in 1620.Both were charter originally by the Virginia Company. The five sources of information for this paper are: The Perils of Emigration, A German Migrant in Philadelphia, Increases Mather on Indian Wars, Roger Clap Mass Bay Lean Years, and Iroquois Chiefs Address the Governors of New York and Virginia.
Virginia began to create plantations for tobacco and Massachusetts was a seaport, both began to suffer from the increase of immigrants. The immigrants created a lot of competition for work. Both societies were engulfed with an increase of immigrants, creating a competition for jobs. Boston was in bad shape and people looked to the community for help. Virginia made its money through tobacco, and along with that came an increase in slavery. On the other hand Massachusetts did not have as great of a demand for slaves. Though both of the settlements had different tactics, neither of them could avoid the problems from increase of immigration and both relied on their separate means of making profit.
Colonial America, beginning in Jamestown in the year 1607, was one of the most developmental times in U.S. history. With the Virginia Company Charter, one hundred, with the rights of an Englishmen, would sail to the Chesapeake. Just twenty three years later, with a compact as a foundation, almost a thousand English settlers would travel to the Massachusetts Bay area. Although there are many similarities between the Chesapeake and New England colonies in the 1600s, they either had an aristocracy or theocracy as a form of governance, varying economic structure based on agriculture or industry, and polar religious beliefs, that of the Anglican or Puritan Church.
Virginia was a source of fertile land; people lived on plantations of tobacco and the English made a lot of money through it, which explains the increase in slavery in Virginia, as working on plantations require a lot of labor. On the other hand, Massachusetts was a seaport and the people of Massachusetts lived in relatively smaller towns with smaller houses and farms, and focused on the farming, fishing, crafting and trading business of trade goods, slaves, rum etc. Even though both of these settlements had different political systems and plans, none of them were able to avoid the consequences of increase in
The New England colonies were situated along the upper northeastern side of the states ( Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Plymouth, and Connecticut) while the Chesapeake colonies were more down south (Virginia, Maryland etc). New England colonists had a longer life expectancy than their Chesapeake counterparts because of geographical reasons and harsh winters. Chesapeake colonies had very little diversity in the kind of people it brought over many were young men ranging in their 20s to 30s and a few aristocrats. New England settlers came over in family groups had a wide range of people from young children to old men and women. Slavery though not as prominent in the New England colonies was a saving grace in the Chesapeake colonies who used
A second place we can find differences between the two colonies is in their economy. Their climates were both quite different causing each to find different means of supporting their economic growth. Virginia’s climate was warmer and their soil was more fertile allowing them to grow strong and healthy crops which primarily consisted of tobacco. Massachusetts had a colder climate and their soil was more thin and rocky limiting their
However, as both colonies continued to flourish, so did the number of their inhabitants. Virginia was centered around the tobacco industry and because Massachusetts, as well as many other New England colonies, was on the coast, it was a bustling sea port. There was competition for work, however, and Boston was the worst because it was such a big port city, where the merchant system dominated. Virginia, as mentioned before, had a demand for labor, hence a huge boom in the slavery system. Both colonies also had rocky beginnings with the Natives in the surrounding areas. Initially, in both settlements, they were met with hostility because of the foreign peoples on their lands. The Jamestown settlers had virtually no relationship with them, but with the help of John Smith, and the realization that the English weren't going to leave, they began to help. When the Puritans landed in Massachusetts, they believed that the English had the right to all lands in the New World, and that the Natives were going to have to vacate. However, trade helped to soften the edges of impending conflict between the two groups, and the colonists were able to trade for valuable furs to send back to England. Despite being on relatively good terms, there were still wars between the settlers and the Native Americans. This happened throughout all the colonies, not just Virginia and
Jamestown, the first permanent English colony, was established by the Chesapeake Bay in 1607. A few years later, the colonies began to export tobacco brought by John Rolfe, causing them to thrive. In 1630, a group of English known as Puritans fled to America, settling with the Pilgrims in New England. The people who settled the two regions shared many characteristics including their origins, faith in God, and strong sense of individual rights. However, the social ideals possessed by each group as well as the views of their leaders greatly impacted the development of the areas, setting them apart from each other. Therefore, the different values possessed by colonists in New England and in the Chesapeake region led to the foundation of contrasting
Massachusetts country was colonized by the English as well. The Puritans was living in England but did not like England’s religious belief. The puritans and a group of people called the pilgrims sailed away from the country to start a new life of their own religion. On their journey, the first year of settling, the settlers lost some of the pilgrims because of the disease spreading. In the early time period, the English colonies of Massachusetts and Virginia was created by the same group of people. Their differences and similarities begins when looking into the religious, political and social development.
Key to growth - Huge population growth caused by long life expectancy good health - more than high fertility
All of the colonies had an underlying economic focus, which was personified in several different attempts among the colonies: Maryland’s widespread effort of encouraging settlement, which included policies of religious tolerance and their eventual adoption of a “headright” system; Virginia’s thriving tobacco production; the Pilgrims’ agricultural industry; and the Puritans’ trade with Native Americans. Both regions had colonies established by private companies with charters, such as the Massachusetts Bay Company in New England or the Virginia Company in the Chesapeake. The Puritans and Pilgrims had another reason for their departure from England: religious persecution, especially from James I. Due to this religious purpose, the two colonies in Massachusetts had more families, which added stability to a colony in its infancy; the Jamestown colony, on the other hand, had few families due to their disregard of the settlement as permanent. In regards to location, neither group was particularly intelligent in choosing a site to live: both Jamestown’s apparently well-calculated spot and Plymouth’s unintentional location were on marshlands. Their poor location along with insufficient food and illness led to surprisingly and devastatingly high death tolls in the first year: 63.5% of Jamestown settlers, half of Plymouth’s population, and a third of the Puritans. Yet, the Jamestown colonies were particularly