The Colonial Three Regions
Three Types of Charters
Virginia
The Pilgrims
Massachusetts

• New England: Mass (Maine), Conn, NH, RI
– Puritans, Most religious, hard soil, cold
– Fishing, shipping, lumber
• Middle Colonies: NY, NJ, Penn, Delaware
– Best soil, yeoman farmer, diverse population
• The South: Hierarchical, slave labor
– Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, Maryland, Tobacco
– Lower South: Carolinas, Georgia, heavy slave
– rice and indigo

• Joint-Stock Company: to make money
– Way to finance colony. Stock holders got
– Land, profit from trade and produce
– Indentured servants: 7 years to pay for travel
– Independent board governs
• Proprietary charter: closer to king
– Lord rules like feudal manor: rent, English law
– Some degree of local rule depending on Lord
• Royal Charter: governed from London
– Royal governor veto and legislative power
– Local Assembly

Charter: profit, proselytize, rid criminals
• Problems: swamp land, disease, bad water
– 50% died 1 st year, bad leaders, gentleman
• John Smith: better leadership, Pocahontas
• John Rolf, Tobacco, indentured servants
• House of Burgesses: Council & gov.
• Never a success: Royal Charter in 1624
• 1619: first African slaves

• “Separatists,” Holland, Mayflower 1620
• Broke contract with Virginia Company
• William Bradford, 41 families
• Mayflower Compact: first constitution
• Hardship, socialistic, most die
• Squanto, first Thanksgiving,
• After 1625 began to prosper

• Joint Stock company w/local rule, 1629
• John Winthrop, governor: Puritan utopia,
– “City on the hill,” chosen people, covenant
• Congregationalism: church independent
– Members voted for minister, decided issues
• Civil Government: not a theocracy, church
– Members hold offices, judges, two houses
– Lawes and Liberties - first legal code