These differences led to variations in government, religious practices, social culture, and most notably the economic variants of northern and southern settlements. One of the largest differences in the early settlements of New England and the south were the people who started the settlements. Massachusetts, settled by Puritans and Plymouth settled by Separatists were settled for the main reason of freedom from the Church of England. In comparison, the southern settlement of Virginia was founded by a joint stock company, the London Company, whose main interest was economic gain for themselves and for their investors. Though colonies of New England and the south were both originally settled by predominately Protestant founders, the colonies differed in values and purpose.
The Southern colonies were developed for freedom of economic opportunity. The New England colonies had aspirations for a distinct society, where they could show their homeland, how a country should be run. The southern colonies had goals for mercantilism, and increasing the prosperity of England. The New England colonies were based on theocracy, where the state forced the people to live and worship in an orthodox way. The southern colonies(Virginia) had a government based on a royal government, where the state was governed by a governor and council named by the king, and an elected assembly chosen by the people.
New England had a religious focus; the Chesapeake, an economic one. Therefore, New England became a highly ordered, model society centered around the Church and community, whereas the Chesapeake region became a crude, competitive community that focused on the labor of the individual. Differences in development created different sources of conflict: New England fought with those who challenged the order created by the Church, and the Chesapeake region dealt with the class antagonism created by its colonies’ profit-based nature. Ultimately, even though New England and the Chesapeake region were distinctive areas, their shared English origin would unite them again in the coming American Revolution.
Great antislavery leader William Wilberforce from Britain had been an important figure in the end of slavery and helped to do so in the British Empire. This showed the world that if a country as dominant as Great Britain could end slavery than it was possible for all other nations including the land of the free. This movement did not really take off until the 1830’s; due to many of its members being quiet and not really getting engaged in the movement. During the antislavery movement members of the American Colonization Society attempted to bring the abducted Africans back to their homeland, even though they had been three or four generations removed. This was done ... ... middle of paper ... ...ve to the country that slavery was not acceptable and should be eliminated immediately.
Both coming from the protestant sect of Christianity, these groups were very strict. The work ethic and strict moral code of the Puritans has helped to shape society in their region. Since these people came for religious freedom, it was mostly families that came over. This allowed schools to be built so the children could receive an education. As seen in the list of emigrants going to New England (Document B), a husband and wife would come over with their children, which could be in great abundance.
During the early settlement of North America persons of varied backgrounds came to the New World. Both families and Individuals from Western Europe or the central coast of Western Africa made the arduous journey across the Atlantic. Some hoped to find easy riches or religious purity. While others were torn from their families to provide slave labor for a blossoming economy. The motives for uprooting and moving over the Atlantic are as broad and diverse as the colonies that took shape upon the arrival of these new settlers.
Differences in Development between the Chesapeake Regions and New England The seventeenth and early eighteenth century, brought thousands of immigrants to America in pursuit of freedom and a new life. Some desired freedom from religious persecution, others wanted a chance to be free from the poverty that ensnared them in England Thus the American colonies were formed. Although the colonies were all united under British rule, they eventually separated into various regions including the Chesapeake region, the New England region, the Middle region, and the Southern region. Despite all the colonies being primarily inhabited by people of English origin the Chesapeake and New England regions evolved into two distinct societies due to religious, economic, and societal factors. The religious preferences of the Chesapeake region had a dramatic impact on its development into a secure and stable society.
New England from the beginning was settled by families. A shipment of emigrants bound for New England consisted of a minister, several farmers, a tailor and a clothier along with their families (Doc B). The New England colonies were created by Puritans escaping religious persecution in England. The Puritans were a group of English Protestants that wanted to “purify” the Church of England. The Puritans set forth articles that would plan the foundation of daily life (Doc A, D).
Its purpose was to manage the colonies and plantations around America and other locations (Reich, 2011, p. 104). Furthermore once this was established colonies became more decentralized and began to govern themselves, slowly becoming Americanized, setting the stage for revolution. Many of the factors that set the stage for revolution took years of developing, the time it took and generations of work that eventually manifested in the American Revolution (Reich, 2011, p. 264), (Brinkley, 2010, p. 100). The factors that lead down the road to revolution and a national identity are religion, separate unregulated freedom to worship (Reich, 2011, p. 265). Also, the proclamation of 1763, that regulated where colonist could not migrate and expand past the Appalachian mountains within the land where they could etch out a living (Reich, 2011, p. 265).
When the Church of England separated from Catholicism under Henry VIII, Protestantism flourished in England, however the Puritans believed the religion needed to be purified so they left. Their religious ideologies were conveyed through John Winthrop's " City on a Hill" speech, it expressed the basic ideology behind the settlement structure. It claimed that the Puritans in New England lived according to God's will and would stand together as one. Also they wanted ti prove to the world what a heavenly perfected society they can create. Their towns were well organized, with the church being the basis of everyone's daily life.