Adam Black 1B
AP US HISTORY
NEW ENGLAND AND CHESAPEAKE COLONIES
The New England and Chesapeake regions were both settled largely by people of English
origin, but by 1700 the regions had evolved into two distinct societies due to geographic,
religious, and social reasons.
First, New England and Chesapeake regions had evolved into two distinct societies by
1700 because of geographic reasons. In New England the land was rocky and the soil was of no
real use for agriculture. The people could not make a real profit with land like this and so
instead turned their attention to other industries such as fishing and ship building. New England
did establish some agriculture mainly for individual survival. In contrast to the Chesapeake
region where their soil was flawless, and had never been touched, there was much better
cultivation the main crop tobacco was harvested. The Chesapeake region also harvested rice,
indigo and had some ship building to ship these crops back to England, the mother country. So
the geography of the land was a great conversion by these two great colonial societies.
Second, New England and Chesapeake regions had evolved into two distinct societies by
1700 because of religious reasons. Settlers in New England had come to the American
Continent to escape the religious persecutions England had caused them. New England’s
common religious group, the Puritans, established the church into government and education.
In contrast, Chesapeake settlers were mainly single unreligious men, who came to the Americas
for the main goals of land and wealth. In comparison to the New England Colonies, the
Chesapeake settlers established the Anglican Church, but in the late 1600s. Religion had
influenced and shaped these two regions societies as a whole.
Finally, New England and Chesapeake regions had evolved into two distinct societies by
1700 because of social reasons. The Chesapeake society was comprised mainly of working men
who had little education and weak systems of government. As mentioned before the
Chesapeake settlers goal was wealth and so to grow their plantations and become wealthier,
slaves were called to action. The need for slavery was much higher in the Chesapeake region
than in New England. In New England slaves weren’t needed as much because of a higher rate
of women and children who could work. New England was centered on religion and family
became a high priority for these people than in the south. White men who owned land were
on top of the social hierarchy for both regions.
To conclude, the New England and Chesapeake regions differed by 1700. Geography
had shaped the economy, religion their institutions and government, and society their beliefs
and need for slavery.