Ann Johnson
APUSH, 7th period
October 11, 2014
DBQ
New England and the Chesapeake region was settled by Englishmen of the same ethnicity, but by 1700 they had developed into two distinct societies. The distinction between these two societies was caused by varying economic and social organization, as well as different reasons for settlement. New England was founded for religious reasons, which became the center of social life. On the other hand, the Chesapeake colonies were founded for economic reasons, and placed a greater emphasis on cash crops and slaves to keep their economy going. The New England colonies were founded for religious freedoms, while the Chesapeake colonies were founded for economic opportunities. In Document F, it is stated that some of the settlers came solely for gold and did not contribute to the community in any way. This document shows how some settlers made the journey to the New World in hopes of finding treasure and getting rich quick. In fact, the Virginia colony was financed by the London Virginia Company. The London Virginia Company, a joint stock company, financed the trip to the New World in hopes of making money off the venture. New England, on the other hand, was founded for religious purposes. The Separatists, a small group of Puritans, broke away from the Anglican Church and were being persecuted in England. Therefore, they headed to the New World in search of religious freedoms. All of the New England colonies, with the exception of Rhode Island, were settled for religious purposes. The differences in climate led to varying economic organization between the Chesapeake and New England colonies. The Chesapeake, with its fertile land, relied on farming and cash crops for their economy. New England colonies, with their long winters and poor soil, relied on industry and manufacturing to make money. The Chesapeake region is known for its cash crops, especially tobacco. The tobacco industry in Virginia was initially founded by James Rolfe. By 1630, over a million and a half pounds of tobacco were being exported from Virginia every year. Other cash crops for this region included rice and indigo. Large plantations were common in the Chesapeake region. New England had small scale farming, but mostly relied on industry and manufacturing for their economy. The New England coastline provided ample opportunities for fishing, shipping, shipbuilding and whaling. The dense forests also provided the goods to make up the lumber market. The social organization for the New England and Chesapeake colonies varied drastically. Due to the high number of plantations, the Chesapeake region had a large number of slaves. For the New England colonies, religious and family life was the center of social life. The Puritans sought to create the prefect society, or in other words "the city on the hill" (Doc A). They believed that they were chosen to be a light in the world and a model to all others. Therefore the Puritans, who had control over New England, established a strict environment that centered around religion and work. The New England colonies' emphasis on religion can be seen in Doc D. Their first goal was to procure a minister to lead them and their church. This
