Colonial+Development


 * INTRODUCTION**

Immigrants from all over Europe began exploring new things after the [|Black Death]. They were no longer tied to their masters in Europe who had died of the Bubonic Plague (Black Death). They became free to do what they wanted and go where they wished. They saw more of the world and, in doing so, found a curiosity of the things around them. They began to explore new lands and learn new things. They also developed a value of the arts.

When Queen Elizabeth of England died in 1603 and passed her crown to her cousin, James Stuart, who was also King James VI of Scotland. He ruled over both kingdoms (England as James I), but was unpopular with the rich nobles of England. He wanted New World trade and settlements, but did not have enough money. He encouraged private trading companies to invest and join together to colonize the New World.

This set Columbus on his journey in search of a different route to the Indies, going west. After the "New World" was discovered, people wanted to get out of Europe and settle in American colonies. With permission from the King they started to form groups who traveled across the sea and established colonies. Then they started importing slaves from the West Indies into the Southern Colonies and beyond. There were three different groups of colonies. These colonies are New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. The slaves and many cash crops (i.e. tobacco and indigo) became a huge part of trade in the Southern colonies.


 * IMMIGRANTS TO AMERICA**

The colonies that the immigrants came to can be divided into three groups. These are the New England colonies, the Middle colonies, and the Southern colonies.

Many different groups came to America for many different reasons. The main reasons people immigrated to the colonies were for religious freedom and to escape persecution. Separatists and Puritans were the first two major religious groups that started colonies.

Separatists did not like how the King was running the Church of England, and they simply wanted to break away from it. The Puritans thought that the King had cut out many important traditions and rituals and wanted to purify the Church to restore it to how it was.


 * APPROXIMATE IMMIGRANT TOTALS**

English: 60% [|Huguenots]: 2% Germans: 8% Scot and Scot-Irish: 14% African Americans: 15% (came as slaves and not of their own will)


 * NEW ENGLAND COLONIES**

The New England Colonies include: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut

The New England colonies focused on whaling, fishing, boating, trapping, logging, and small farm agriculture. In the New England colonies wealth was spread more evenly, unlike in the Middle and Southern colonies.


 * MIDDLE COLONIES**

The Middle Colonies include: Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware

The Middle Colonies (a.k.a. The Bread Colonies) were well known for their wheat, corn, industry, and for being a very technological area. Land was flatter in these colonies, so agriculture was also big. It was from the Middle Colonies that most of the pioneers came.


 * SOUTHERN COLONIES**

The Southern Colonies include: Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Maryland

The Southern Colonies maintained trade with Britain and other foreign countries. As part of this trade, the South exported turpentine, resin, tar, indigo, rice, cotton, and sugar cane. The [|Triangular Trade] was also a huge part of the colonies. Other items that prospered in the South were tobacco, apples, peaches, and oranges.


 * COLONIAL LIFE**

People farmed to produce food for their families and when possible, for others too. Cities were trade centers where merchants traded goods that came from England and goods made by local artisans. Shipbuilding was a major industry in the colonies, especially the New England colonies because of their logging, trading, whaling, and fishing industries. Indentured servants came over to the colonies and later black indentured servants were turned into slaves.

Colonial families were often big and would contain extended family members as well. Their could be up to fifteen family members living together on one farm or plot of land. People often married two or three times. Big families meant more help. Storytelling, reading, hunting, fishing, and horse-back riding were the activities that most colonists participated in in their free time. Women couldn't vote, participate in government, or own land or businesses. Many people worshiped two to three times a day. Puritans were especially focused on hard work and worship.


 * SIGNIFICANCE**

When Britian sent colonists over to the New World they were hoping to gain profit, but little did they realize life was much harsher in America. Slowly, the colonies started to separate from Britian and eventually created a new country. That country has turned out to be the super power of the world - The United States.