Colonial Comparisons

New England ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

Mass.(Plymouth)

Religious freedom or worship for Puritan Separatists (Pilgrims)

William Bradford

Granted right to settle northern part of Virginia – led to Mayflower Compact

Wanted to “purify” Church of England of its secular influences. Uneasy with chances to change – more uneasy in Holland.

Plymouth limited by “Bay” neighbors

Welcomed by Wampanoag Indians and Massasoit. Helped during first harsh winter.

William Bradford governed Plymouth as both a religious and political leader for over 30 years.

Colony established in 1620 with 102 settlers.

New England ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

Mass.(Bay Colony)

John Winthrop

Religious Freedom of worship for Puritans (but not separatists).

Leaders wanted to create a “Bible Commonwealth” and a “City on a hill”

In 1630, over 1,000 settlers came on 17 ships.

Funded by Massachusetts Bay Company, a joint-stock company headed by wealthy puritans.

Helped by financial and royal backing – established for religious and economic prosperity. 1,000s of new settlers come every year

Not democracy, but better than England - Legal rights only given to members of the state church – dissenters and Indians are “less” than citizens.

Multiple conflicts with Native groups – King Philip’s War 1675 (Massasoit’s son, Metacom)Eventually absorbed the Plymouth Colony in 1691.

New England ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

Rhode Island

Religious Freedom FROM Massachusetts.

Roger Williams

Anne Hutchinson

The Providence colony (original name) was established in 1636 by religious dissenters of Mass. Bay.“Sewer Colony”

Guaranteed freedom of worship for all religions and separation of church and state (first time).

Had peaceful relations with Indians (especially the Narragansetts)

Religious tolerance made Rhode Island very attractive for business and trade.

New England ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

Connecticut

Religious Freedom FROM Massachusetts.The “River Colony” was created in 1636 as a haven for Puritan nobles.

Political freedom led to writing of the Fundamental Orders of 1638. The most democratic government in early colonies

Believed in extending voting rights to all christians (male and female).

Less successful traders (Bay and Dutch competitors), but much better farmers.

Thomas Hooker and John Haynes

Constant struggles with Dutch in NY and Indians in CT. The Pequot War (1637) sets a precedent.

Middle ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

New York Expansion of Trade

James, the Duke of York (English)

Since fighting disrupts business, Dutch had a very permissive and open society. Traded with powerful Iroquois tribes rather than fight them.

English continued Dutch traditions of openness and tolerance.

Originally colony established by the Dutch (New Netherlands) in 1625, but then “acquired” by English in 1664.

Peter Minuet (Dutch)

Middle ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

New Jersey

Expansion of Trade

Before the English, a large number of Swedish settlers established the area.

Indian relations were also heavily influenced by the permissive and tolerant traditions established by the Dutch (and Quakers in the South) Colony established as a proprietary (personal property) of Berkeley and Carteret.

Originally colony established by the Dutch (New Netherlands) in 1625, but then “acquired” by English in 1664.

Lord John Berkeley (West) Sir George Carteret (East)

Religious tolerance enabled colony to become site (and profit from) of immigration from other colonies.

“Breadbasket” Colony

Middle ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

Pennsylvania The most diverse colony in the

New World (also the most profitable).

Quakers were a religious sect that believed:All people are equal.War is immoral.Separation of Church and State

Religious freedom for Quakers. “Holy Experiment”

William Penn

King granted “Penn’s Woods” (1681) to Penn as repayment of loans made from his father (also named William Penn).

Philadelphia, “City of Brotherly Love”, exemplifies Quaker beliefs. All settlers received 50 acres of land and had voting rights.

Paid Indians fair prices for land purchases and trading. The most peaceful relations in the New World.

Southern ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

Maryland George Calvert (father)

Although established for religious freedom most people (Catholic and Protestant) arrived for financial gain from plantations. Almost constant fighting between:MD and PAMD and VACatholics and ProtestantsSettlers and IndiansTo ensure religious freedom for Catholics, Act of Toleration (1649) for freedom of religion (for Christians only). First formal law of religious freedom.

Religious Freedom for Catholics (1632)

Catholic “Safe Haven”

Lord Baltimore (son)Both father and son leaders among persecuted Catholic minority in England

Southern ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

Virginia The Virginia Company of London, a joint-stock company.

Lord De La Warr

Captain John Smith

Profit from trade and gold.

Eventually successful, but extreme difficulties at first:First Winter (1607)Starving Time (1609-10)First and Second Powhatan Wars

The first permanent settlement in New World (1607)

Kept alive by “reinvestment” of people and Rolfe’s brown gold

Southern ColoniesColony Reason for

foundingThe Founders

Success?

Georgia

Under Oglethorpe, slavery was prohibited, but once he left slavery was made legal.

James Oglethorpe, explorer and social reformer.

Wanted colony to become a place where prisoners could get a “second chance”

Excellent military buffer between English and Spanish colonies. Continuous fighting on borders with Seminole and Cherokee Indians.

Not as successful in creating a second chance, but served as great place for other “undesirables” such as Scots and German immigrants not wanted in the CarolinasServed as a

buffer by southern colonies and Spanish territory

Established as “debtors colony” in 1733 (the latest colony)