1993 Dbq About New England and Chesapeake Region Essays

1993 Dbq About New England and Chesapeake Region Essays 1993 Dbq About New England and Chesapeake Region Essay 1993 Dbq About New England and Chesapeake Region Essay After they defeated the Spanish Armada in 1588, the English began to explore and colonize the New World. By the 1600s, the English occupied the eastern part of the New World. As reformations and revolutions went on in England, different types of people immigrated to different parts of the New World. Two distinct regions, New England and the Chesapeake region, grew to be different in economy, social and family life, and religious beliefs. The two different way of life created two settlements that contrasted and complemented each other. Though the differences between the settlements of New England and Chesapeake region are many, they are largely due to the different style of life and desires, such as economic and religious freedom, that led the people to leave England. The economy between the New England region and the Chesapeake region were far apart from each other. The Southern region of the New World was known for agriculture because of the rich and fertile soil. In 1611, John Rolfe perfected a way to grow tobacco without the bitter tang and it became a cash crop instantly. Farmers were attracted to the money that was made from growing and selling tobacco. Workers were needed to work for the farmers and since slaves were expensive they were not used until after the 1700s. Instead, indentured servants were often brought over to work the farms. New England was a rocky and hilly area with poor soil and the climate was not suitable for agriculture. Merchants, craftsmen, and fishers were common to the area and trading was important because Boston was a main port harbor. As read in â€Å"Articles of Agreement† (Springfield, Massachusetts, 1636), plantations in New England consisted of merely forty families which was nothing compared to southern plantations. In History of Virginia, John Smith said, â€Å"The worst [among us were the gold seekers who]with their golden promises made†¦there was no talk†¦but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold. † Gold was a big attraction for people in the south and the obsession grew over time amongst them. Emigrants that were in the North focused less on gold seeking and more on family management and trade management. Different types of economies also resulted in different family and social life between the two regions. In â€Å"Ship’s List of Emigrants Bound for New England† by John Porter, the emigrants traveled to New England with their family members and some brought along their servants. During the 1600s, because of short lifespan, women gave birth to several children leading to large families moving to New England. On the contrary, in â€Å"Ship’s List of Emigrants Bound for Virginia† shows that the majority of people that immigrated to Virginia consisted of men; very few women traveled to Virginia. With fewer women, the population remained small in the South. Family life was more important to the North because of the large Puritan settlement in Massachusetts. On the other hand, due to the large male population in the Chesapeake region, agriculture business was more important than keeping a family together. In addition, the South had many diseases such as malaria, dysentery, and typhoid fever which caused a decrease in members in the Virginia area. Reasons for a large male population in the Chesapeake region also include the laws of primogeniture, which stated that only the eldest son of a family was allowed to inherit land, which left the younger sons helpless. The North was much keener on education than the South due to trading and businesses. In 1636, Puritans founded Harvard College in Massachusetts, which still stands as a highly prestigious college today. Education was more valued in the North while the South home-schooled their children and taught them how to run plantations. Though the College of William and Mary of Virginia was founded in 1693, it remained that plantation and agriculture maintenance was deemed more important. Due to the religious nature of the Puritans, education was valued so that children can read the Bible. Religious freedom was greatly desired by Puritans and one of the main reasons for immigration. Puritans believed that the church should only accept â€Å"visible saints† and because King Charles I accepted all of his subjects, they left England for Massachusetts. John Winthrop wrote: â€Å"We must be knit together in this work as one man†¦We must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us†¦if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause him to withdraw his present help from us,† in A Model of Christian Charity. Winthrop believed that his followers should stay together in unity and to always remember their religion and to follow it well. Puritans entered the Massachusetts area, ready to pursue religious freedom from the Church. On the other hand, the Chesapeake region consisted of Protestants who followed the Church of England. However, following religion did not become as important to the Protestants until the 1700s. In History of Virginia by Captain John Smith, he mentioned that Smith had to kill one of the captains to stop the settlers from going back to England as the settlers were being unruly. Without unity, the Chesapeake region was hard to maintain order, but the unity between the Puritans was bound by religion and their desire to practice it. In 1643, The New England Confederation, a military alliance, was created between the Massachusetts Bay Colony, New Haven, Connecticut, and Plymouth as a step towards colonial unity. In â€Å"Governor Berkeley and His Council on Their Inability to Defend Virginia Against a Dutch Attack, December 1673†, William Berkeley complained of how settlers in the South were weak and unable to protect themselves. They had no order, hence no unity, and without unity between the emigrants, the society would have problems such as being unable to protect against potential threats. The economy, the social and family life, and the religious beliefs set the New England and the Chesapeake region apart. Though there are specific reasons and events that set these two settlements apart, the key component that influenced the two diverse environments was desire. The people of England migrated because England was not providing for them what they needed or wanted. The New World represented freedom in all aspects of life. Nonetheless, these two settlements, as different as they were, formed the foundation of America. Even today, most of America’s agricultural needs are focused in the South while businesses and trading is in the North.