Name:_____________________
Period: ________________
Chapter 4: The Colonies Develop
Introduction : By 1700, two economic systems had developed in the American colonies. Both systems
created wealth, but in very different ways. In the northern New England colonies, the economy was
based on trading their natural resources, such as ___________, and manufactured goods, such as
__________. In the Southern Colonies, plantation owners had the land and the resources to farm and
sell crops such as _____________, _____________, and indigo.
Geography and Climate
Geography and climate played a large role in shaping the northern and southern economies. The
geography of the New England colonies was generally ______________ with _______________ soil.
Winters were cold and harsh.
In these colonies, natural resources such as _________, ______________________,
____________, and _______________ were much more important to the economy than
farming.
The geography of the Southern Colonies was much better for farming. __________ soil and a
long, hot, moist growing season allowed tobacco, rice, and indigo to be grown in great
quantities. These were called “___________________” because they could be sold for a profit.
________________ were the basis of the southern economy.
Exports
The New England colonies built their economies around exporting and producing goods from the natural
resources found in their territories—furs and skins, cattle and grains, timber, fish and whales.
____________ was used to build ships.
Imported West Indian molasses and sugar were turned into rum at local distilleries. In the
Southern Colonies, tobacco, rice, and indigo were grown on large plantations and were the
center of the southern economy. The South also exported furs, skins, cattle, grain, and timber.
Transportation of Goods
Along the New England coastline, ____________________ developed as centers for trade. Local
manufactured goods were traded in, and shipped from, the seaports. Even the ships themselves were
built as an export to England and to support local fishing and whaling operations.
In the South, coastal areas had a system of rivers which allowed goods to be shipped directly to
and from the plantations. Plantations were also self-sustaining, which meant that southern
cities did not develop as centers for trade in the same way that they did in the North.
Navigation Acts
England imposed tax and trade laws on the colonies that affected both northern and southern
colonies. One law, called the Navigation Acts, was passed in 1651 to ensure England received
____________________. Part of the Navigation Acts listed items that could be traded with
England and no one else. The colonists __________________ these laws and tried to find ways
around them.
Labor
Different types of labor were used in the northern and southern colonies. In the North, Puritan colonists
valued a strong ___________________ and did much of the work themselves. There were also many
indentured servants. In 1700, enslaved Africans made up only 2 percent of New England’s population.
Southern plantations needed a ________________ labor force to run smoothly. Plantation
owners initially used indentured servants, but an enslaved African labor force was more
__________________.
Belief systems
Settlements in New England were built around ______________________. Hard-working communities
followed strict Puritan values and ethics. Many Puritans were against the harsh treatment of slaves,
although slave labor was still used.
The Southern Colonies were founded largely for economic gain. Many different religions were
represented in the South, but harsh treatment of an enslaved labor force was widely accepted.
Enslaved Africans in the South often continued to practice their own religious beliefs, including
Islam, and preserved customs from their homelands including music, dance, and storytelling.
Northern Colonies
Economy:
Geography:
Climate:
Religion:
Southern Colonies