Seventeenth Century History - Colonies in England

During the seventeenth- century England established colonies across the eastern coast or north America.  The four original New England Colonies were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The New England colonies had a healthy population with long life spans, a strong family structure and a diversity. It has been said that the real reason for the founding of the New England colonies was for religious freedom, but the colonies were founded for different reasons. According to histclo.com “Massachusetts was founded for religious freedom for separatists Massachusetts Bay were founded for religious freedom for puritans. New Hampshire was founded to escape from constricted by religious and economic rules and Rhode Island was founded for religious freedom”.  The geographic regions of the Colonies were the New England Colonies, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies. There were many regional differences. In the New England colonies its religion was puritan, the farmers could barely feed their families and trades for survival were fishing and trapping for fur. Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jerseys, its religion was Anglican, Protestant, and the Quakers. The Middle Colonies were part agriculture, part industrial. Wheat and other grains grew on farms in Pennsylvania and New York. Family labor also made up a large workforce for the colony. Factories in Maryland produced iron and iron products like tools, kettles, nails and plows and huge blocks of iron to export to Britain. Factories in Pennsylvania produced paper and textiles. The Middle Colonies developed a highly diverse society based upon many different languages, religions, and cultures, The Middle Colonies were ruled by small town governments, each reflecting the diversity of settlement.

New England colonies were ruled by religious leaders ran through small town meetings. Southern Colonies lived by Anglican faith.  The religion played no role in politics and the economy. The Middle Colonies practiced a lot of religious tolerance, accepting the beliefs of Quakers, Shakers, Presbyterians, Baptists, etc. Religion played a small role in the politics and economy. The New England colonies practices a strictly Calvinist faith.  Religion dictated the political, economic, and social lives of colonists.

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