The Original 13 Colonies

The New England Colonies were largely farming and fishing communities. The Middle Colonies were part agriculture, part industrial. The Southern Colonies were almost entirely agricultural.

It is clear, from even this cursory glance at the colonies, that each was unique from the others in many ways while still sharing many similarities. Taking a closer look at three individual colonies from the Southern, Middle, and New England Regions will help shed light on what these colonies were really like.

The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded in 1630 by John Winthrop and others. Uncompromisingly strict in their morals and conduct, the puritans who settled here were no less intolerant of other views as those back in England who had persecuted them. The establishment of religious instructional institutions and churches was of utmost importance to them. The most important members of the colony were ministers and only members of the church were allowed to vote. Puritan intolerance of other religious beliefs resulted in whippings, hangings and banishment from the colony. The Puritans saw the main purpose of their new colony as being a "city on a hill" which would set an example for England and the rest of the world. (Colonial Ancestors, 2000, pg. 7).

Massachusetts's agricultural economy was largely dependent on fishing, corn, and livestock as the weather and soil was unfit for major farm development. Manufacturing also contributed a great deal to the economy, ship-building and lumbering were especially common (University of Groningen, 1994; White, 2002bc).

The Pennsylvania Colony, a middle colony, was founded by William Penn and others in 1682 at Philadelphia. William Penn, a convert to the beliefs of the "Society of Friends" used his social status and wealth to benefit and protect his fellow believers, whom at that time were often persecuted (White, 2002a; White, 2002c).

English Quakers as well as Anglican English settlers made up the majority of the population. Germans made up one third of the population (Pennsylvania History, n.d.). Hardships in Ireland and Scotland caused groups of Scotch-Irish immigrants to come to America in waves and by the revolution they equaled about one quarter of the population. French Huguenot, Jewish, Dutch, Swedes, and other groups made up a smaller amount of the population but contributed greatly to the diversity, tolerance and development of this colony (Pennsylvania History, n.d.).

The Pennsylvanian economy was helped tremendously by the abundance of natural resources and quickly became a thriving agricultural and commercial society. Sawmills and gristmills were common, papermaking, and shipbuilding were also important. Major agricultural products were wheat, corn, cattle, and dairy products (White, 2002c). Arts and Crafts as well as textiles were often made in the home; however, factories became more and more common.

The Southern Colony of Georgia was founded by James Oglethorpe in 1732 (White, 2002c). Three main reasons for establishing a colony in Georgia were: to offer an opportunity for the poor to begin anew, to provide a refuge for Protestants, and to place a buffer between the Carolinas and Florida (then controlled by Spain). Georgia was the only colony which received financial aid by a vote of British parliament (Whitten, 2001). Originally slavery and liquor were prohibited. Settlers wanted rum, slaves, and votes. Due to restrictions on such things Georgia's growth started slowly. Eventually, between 1748 and 1752 parliament began to allow rum, slavery and other rights and the colony started growing quite rapidly.

Georgia's main industry was in agriculture. Georgian farmers primarily grew rice, indigo, sugar, and tobacco. Plantations were far from one another and most farmers were small planters. Towns were very uncommon, schools were non-existent, children were educated in the home. Social interaction between settlers was few and far between (White, 2002b).

The Pilgrims in Massachusetts and the Quakers in Pennsylvania were examples of people who had left England so they could practice the religion they chose. Georgian settlers were not motivated by religion as much as an opportunity for land and wealth.

The colonys' industries were quite different. The soil in Massachusetts was not conducive to good farming, while Southern land was fertile and plentiful for agriculture. Pennsylvania enjoyed a balance of manufacturing and agriculture which contributed to its diversity.

Over time, as taxes and tariffs were forced on them by England - their voices unheard or dismissed, without the right to participate in such decisions- settlers from all walks of life united in the belief that American's should have the right to govern themselves.

References

Colonial Ancestors (2000). Massachusetts colony. Retrieved from http://colonialancestors.com/ma/colony.htm

Pennsylvania History (n.d.). Pennsylvania history. Retrieved from http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/VC/visitor_info/pa_history/pa_history.htm

University of Groningen (1994). An outline of American history . Retrieved from http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/H/1994/ch2_p1.htm

White, D (2002)a. Religion and the church in the 13 American colonies. Retrieved from http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13colonieschurch.htm

White, D (2002)b. Farming in the 13 American colonies . Retrieved from http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13coloniesfarm.htm

White, D (2002)c. The 13 American colonies. Retrieved from http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/13colonies1.htm

Whitten, C (2001). Georgia. Retrieved from http://www.usahistory.info/southern/Georgia.html