Colonial America

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By 1775, the population in American colonies had reached 2.5 million inhabitants. Much of the colonist at this point were escaping the hardships presented in Europe and sought a fresh start in the New World. However, life in different parts of colonial America were vastly distinct from one another. The different motives behind immigration to the New World ultimately led to a stark difference in the way of life in terms of government, religion, family, and economics in Virginia and New England. The earliest migration to Virginia were mainly composed of wealthy male individuals from Europe. Among them were 2nd Son Aristocrats who were furious with the idea that most of the royal wealth was passed down to the first son in family. Much …show more content…
In fact, economic wealth was the single most motivator of many individuals in Virginia. Everyday life tasks were aimed towards farming with much of the work being done by slaves. Much of the success in economics of the southern colonies came from the favorable fertile land. Plantations in Virginia were vast and consisted of many slaves working. Tobacco became the main cash crop of much of the southern colonies, with other notable crops being cotton and corn. Much of the economic wealth came from selling these cash crops to other colonies and Great Britain. The influence of economic gains extended in much of the governmental affairs of Virginia. The House of Burgesses was the first elected representative government in the New Colonies. The early system was dominated by wealthy male plantation owners, which led to the main focus on governmental debates and decisions in improving economic aspects and conditions in Virginia. Though it was an elected system, much of the plantation owners had monopolized the system and much of the justice system and everyday life was in favor of rich male plantation …show more content…
These individuals would ultimately come to be known as Puritan separatists and would inhabit much of the northern colonies of the new world. In Voices in the American Past , the leaders of Massachusetts Bay Company wrote their motives behind immigration to New England,
“First it will be a service to the Church of great Consequence, to carry Gospel into these parts of the world….Secondly, all other churches of Europe are brought into desolation, and it may be justly feared that the like judgement is coming upon us; and how knows but that god hath provided this place to be a refuge for many whom he means to save out of the general destruction.”
Puritans had a firm belief that god had formed a covenant with them and that they had a responsibility of spreading and living by god’s scripture. The puritan way of life revolved around John Calvin and Martin Luther’s teachings. The Puritans strongly believed that you could not earn salvation but rather was granted to those that followed the scripture. Puritan way of thought was similar to that of predestination, that god had chosen who would be saved. Puritans strongly believed the notion that God and devil were both in play at Earth and were constantly looking for signs of
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