The document summarizes the key differences between the New England, Middle, and Southern English colonies. New England colonies focused on fishing, lumber, and trade due to their rocky soil and climate. They were settled by religious dissenters seeking freedom. The Middle colonies had fertile land and waterways supporting farming and trade. They were ethnically diverse with Quakers and Germans. The Southern colonies grew cash crops like tobacco with large plantations worked by indentured servants and slaves. Conflicts arose from expanding colonist settlements disrupting Native American lands.

1. Comparing English Colony
Regions
Environment, Economy, Society,
Politics, and Conflict
Textbook Reference: Ch.4

2. Get Focused
• Focus Question:
• How were the English colony settlements unique?
• I Can…
• I can describe the economies, politics, societies
and environments of the colony regions
• I can describe the different forms of conflict
within the colonies and explain how it impacted
them

3. New England
Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut, New Hampshire

4. New England
Environment and Economy
• The soil was too thin and rocky and the climate
too harsh for the colonists to grow cash crops.
• They turned to fishing, whaling, lumbering, fur
trading, ship building, small scale farming, and
metal working to nourish their economy. These
items were sold to other colonies and to England.
• New England colonies also participated in the
selling of slaves to the southern colonies.
• Many people lived in villages with a common area

6. New England
Society
• The first colonists were Separatist Pilgrims and
reform-minded Puritans.
• They settled in New England to gain religious
freedom. The religious freedom they sought was
not readily granted to others outside their faith.
• Religious Tolerance- Connecticut and Rhode
Island offered freedom that was not available in
Massachusetts.
• Yankee- A nickname for New England merchants
who were known for being excellent traders

7. New England
Politics
• Town Meetings- Colonists discussed important
decisions, this encouraged the growth of
democracy
• Sabbath- Observation of this day was not only
religious, but it was the law.
• Legislative bodies- Law passing, elected groups
• General Court- Elected, church-going
assemblymen in Massachusetts
• Fundamental Orders of Connecticut- voting for
property owners.

8. Middle Colonies
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York,
Delaware

9. Middle Colonies
Environment and Economy
• Land was more fertile than in New England and
promoted farming of cash crops: a crop that you can
sell for $$$ at the market- corn/wheat/fruit.
• An abundance of rivers allowed for transportation of
goods for trade between the colonies.
• Mills to grind grains and iron production developed
and supported local economies.
• Skilled artisans produced goods
• The first colonists were Dutch and settled at the mouth
of the Hudson River. Their goal was to farm in order to
make money.

11. Middle Colonies
Society
• When the English took "New Amsterdam" from
the Dutch, they called it New York.
• Quakers seeking religious freedom settled
Pennsylvania.
• Pennsylvania Dutch- German speaking
Protestants settled central Pennsylvania
• This area was also the most ethnically diverse.
• William Penn established a “Policy of Fairness”-
welcoming all persecuted groups and treating the
Native Americans fairly. It works for a while…

12. Middle Colonies
Politics
• Proprietary colony- King gave the rights to
govern to a few trusted people.
• Royal colony- The King makes the rules
• Elected Assemblies- Representing the
colonists
• Settlers moving into Native American lands
was a primary concern for local officials
• Counties were the center of society

13. Southern Colonies
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia

14. Southern Colonies
Environment and Economy
• Rich soil, warm weather, long growing season
• Tobacco, indigo, and rice became the major
cash crops of the southern colonies. These
cash crops were grown on large plantations of
land that needed large numbers of workers.
Indentured servants were first used. As their
numbers dwindled, slaves were used. A small
number of people owned large amounts of
land that was given to them just for showing
up.

16. Southern Colonies
Society
• Religious toleration for some Christians
(Maryland)
• Settlers from the Caribbean and England
• Indentured servants and slaves
• Tidewater Plantations and Backcountry farmers
• Spread of slavery brings population growth
• Slave codes- laws developed over time to control
the lives of slaves
• Debtor- people who owed money in England
settled in the colonies for a chance at a new life

17. Southern Colonies
Politics
• Elected assemblies made up of land owning
colonists
• Act of Toleration- religious freedom in
Maryland
• Conflicts over land and opportunity between
colonists.
• Mason-Dixon Line- divided Middle and
Southern colonies

18. Conflict
• King Philip’s(Metacom) War 1675-78- War
between Puritan colonists and Native
Americans. The result of colonist expansion
onto Native American land.
• Bacon’s Rebellion1676- colonists immigrated
to Virginia, attacked and killed Native
Americans, and attacked Jamestown in protest
in order to gain access to Indian lands.

19. Conflict
• Powhatan Uprising of 1622- Opechancanough
leads the Powhatan in an attempt to drive the
English settlers out of Virginia. The result is
another decade of bloodshed between the
two groups.
• Religious conflict in Massachusetts- Thomas
Hooker, Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson

20. Powhatan Uprising of 1622

21. Smith and Opechancanough

22. King Phillip’s War