The Middle Colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware experienced population growth in the 1600s due to large land grants and religious tolerance. The Dutch originally settled New York as New Netherland, but it was captured by the English in 1664 and renamed. Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn in 1681 as a refuge for Quakers who faced persecution. Farmers in the Middle Colonies grew staple crops like wheat and practiced religious freedom.

1. The Middle
Colonies

2. 1. Quakers – a Protestant sect also known as the “Society of Friends”; begun in
England in the 1640s
2. staple crop – a crop that is always in demand
3. patroon – a “Lord” or landowner in the Dutch colonies

3. NEW YORK and NEW JERSEY
• New Netherland was founded by the Dutch in 1613 as a trading post
• The population grew due to large land grants to patroons, and because of
religious tolerance
• From 1647-1664, New Netherland was led by Dutch-born Peter Stuyvesant
• England’s King Charles II wanted control of the entire Atlantic Coast
• In 1664 an English fleet captured the colony, and it was renamed New York,
with its main town of New Amsterdam being renamed New York City

5. • In 1664, Sir George Carteret and Lord John Berkeley were made proprietors of
the New Jersey colony
• New Jersey’s population included Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, and Scottish settlers
• Through the end of the 1600s the fur trade was important to the economies of
both New York and New Jersey

6. PENNSYLVANIA and DELAWARE
• In 1681 King Charles II granted a charter to William Penn, who was a member of
the Society of Friends (a Quaker)
• The Quakers believed in equality of men and women, supported nonviolence
and religious tolerance, and disagreed with the practice of slavery
• Because of their beliefs, the Quakers were persecuted in England and in America
• Penn’s colony, called Pennsylvania, would be a safe place for Quakers, and
promised religious freedom to all Christians
• Penn established an elected assembly, which became an important example of
self-government

7. • Penn named the capital of his colony Philadelphia, the “city of brotherly love”
* By 1760, Philadelphia was the largest British colonial city

8. • In 1682 the Duke of York sold Penn a region south of Pennsylvania.
• The area was called Delaware, and was part of Pennsylvania until 1776

9. • Farmers in the Middle Colonies grew large amounts of staple crops such as
wheat, barley, and oats
• Slaves were important to the economy, working not only on farms, but as
blacksmiths, carpenters, and shipbuilders

10. 13 Original Colonies

11. 1. Blacksmith
2. Brickmaker
3. Cabinetmaker
4. Cobbler
5. Cooper
6. Founder
7. Apothecary
8. Milliner
9. Printer
10. Silversmith
11. Wheelwright
12. Brewer
13. Tailor
14. Chandler
15. Trapper
16. Hatter
17. Shipbuilder
18. Tanner
19. Merchant
20. Wigmaker