Colonial Regions
Climate and geography divided the new colonies into three
separate regions: New England, Middle colonies, and
Southern colonies.
New England: hilly terrain with rocky soil and jagged
coastlines, moderate summers, long, cold winters. Two of
the main geological features-the Appalachian Mountains
and Boston Harbor.
Middle colonies-coastal lowlands with many harbors and
bays, wide deep rivers, settlers found rich farmland,
Because of the moderate climate, it was easy to farm there.
Southern colonies-had good harbors and many rivers, the
warm, humid climate made it ideal for growing many
crops.
Different Regions, Different Jobs
Geography and natural resources help determine the
economic activities in an area. The long coastline in New
England allowed many people to take jobs in the fishing
industry. The shipbuilding industry also grew. New
England’s many ports grew into cities. New England was
a trade center.
Middle colonies-The rich farmland was perfect for
producing livestock. Grain for the livestock was grown
there. Corn was an important crop, too. Because ships
could easily come in and out, many coastal areas became
major trading centers. Fishing was a key industry.
Southern colonies-agriculture was very important. The
mild climate was good for growing crops. The region had
large plantations and small farms. Important cash crops
included tobacco, rice, and indigo. Wood products were
also important. Much of the hard work in the hot fields was
done by slaves.
Colonial Relationships
The three colonial regions had different relationships.
New England: people settled in villages and cities. Most
settlements were formed by people seeking freedom of
religion. The church was the center of social life. New
England citizens got together at town meetings to discuss
things affecting the town.
Middle colonies: villages and cities were common.
Colonists from many countries settled there. They brought
different religions, traditions, and cultures. Most civic and
political matters were settled in the large market towns.
Southern colonies-lived on large or small farms, They
grew food, made their own cloth and clothing, and did not
have a lot of contact with others. Slaves and indentured
servants were common. There were few cities or schools.
The Church of England was the main church and center of
social life. Southern colonies were divided into countiesthese were the centers of political and civic life.
Colonial People
Colonial Americans were divided into six groups: slaves,
artisans, large landowners, farmers women, and indentured
servants. Wealth and gender were the main factors deciding
a person’s lot in life. Men usually had more privileges than
women, and wealthy people had more opportunities to
become educated and enjoy social affairs.
Large landowners-lived in the south, usually owned large
amounts of land and were wealthy, farms were called
plantations, farms produced crops such as tobacco, sugar,
and indigo, had slaves and indentured servants to work,
often educated, enjoyed a rich social life.
Farmers-not as wealthy as large landowners, worked
themselves with their family, location decided what was
produced. In New England, they raised livestock such as
sheep. In the Middle colonies, they grew tobacco and
grains, and in the South they grew rice, indigo, cotton, and
tobacco.
Artisans-settled in all areas of the colonies, worked as
craftsmen in towns and on plantations, lived in small
villages and cities, sometimes women were artisans.
Women were caretakers, house workers, and homemakers.
They had no political rights, were not allowed to vote, and
had little chance of getting an education.
Indentured servants-usually couldn’t afford to pay for a
trip to America so they would find a ship captain to
transport them. The captain would take them to a colony
and contract with a merchant, artisan, or plantation owner
to employ the indentured servant for a set amount of time
(usually 3-5 years). When the time was up, the indentured
servant was free to start a life of his own.
Slaves-didn’t choose to come to the colonies but were
captured in their native Africa and sold to slave traders.
Once someone was enslaved he/she would be a slave all of
his/her life. Even children born to slaves would be slaves
forever. Slaves were not seen as human beings but rather
as property. They had no rights and were often mistreated.
Native Americans-Lived in the same area as the colonists.
Native Americans helped the colonists & traded with them.
Problems arose as the colonists took over lands that the NA
lived on.
Colonial Choices
Behavior and choices affected price incentives. Colonists
decided what to produce based on two things: (1) they
produced things from raw materials in the area they lived
and (2) they produced things other countries wanted & that
would make money.
What’s Your Specialty?
Specialization-an efficient way to work, & there is a lower
cost to produce items. New England specialized in the
fishing, timber, and shipbuilding industries. Middle-had
rich farmland. Farmers produced large harvests of wheat,
rye, and corn. They raised livestock & fishing was an
important industry. Southern-Agriculture was king.
Plantations were very profitable because they grew
tobacco, indigo, rice, & cotton on a large scale.
Will You Exchange This?
A system of voluntary exchange was used in colonial times.
Colonists swapped goods they had for things they needed.
Colonists exchanged goods with Indians regularly.
Trade With Me!
Trade between the colonies and England was important
because it strengthened the economies of both countries.