Answer to Question #72913 in History for Dray

Question

English Colonization: Explain why the four colonial regions (the Chesapeake, New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Carolina Colonies) developed so differently socially while ending up with such similar political systems?

Answer 1

English Colonization: Explain why the four colonial regions (the Chesapeake, New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Carolina Colonies) developed so differently socially while ending up with such similar political systems?
The core differences are noted in the human resources, regional differences, and social life of the four colonial regions. For instance, New England involved skilled craftsmen in shipbuilding, while the Middle Colonies had a diverse workforce which consisted of merchants, farmers, and fishermen. In particular, New England colonies were good for water-powered machinery, which gave extensive opportunities for finished items to be crafted, for example, woven cloth or metal tools; by contrast, Middle colonies were the most suitable place to grow grain and livestock. The Chesapeake was primarily agricultural, so this region had just a few cities as well as limited schools. The Carolina Colonies, especially their southern parts were mostly populated by wealthy Englishmen who set up huge plantations with slave labor, for the cultivation of indigo, cotton, and rice. As each of four regions developed highly specialized economies, they relied on each other for specific products or skills, since it was more effective than independent growth.