The Middle Colonies

Words: 1657
Pages: 7
Open Document
The Middle Colonies comprised the middle region of the Thirteen Colonies of the British Empire in North America.
Much of the area was part of the New Netherland until the British exerted their control over the region. The English captured much of the area in its war with the Dutch around 1664, and the majority of the conquered land became the Province of New York. The Duke of York and the King of England would later grant others ownership of the land which would become the Province of New Jersey and the Province of Pennsylvania. The Delaware Colony later separated from Pennsylvania, which was founded by William Penn.
The Middle Colonies had lots of rich soil, which was allowing the area to become a major exporter of wheat and other grains. …show more content…
The Dutch soon claimed the land. Although the Swedes and the Dutch fought over the land in the 1630s through the ultimately the Dutch claimed the land, calling it New Netherland. In the 1660s, the English largely conquered this land from the Dutch, renaming the area New York after the Duke of York, James II. The colony's land was periodically granted to various proprietors and split into the Province of New York and the Province of …show more content…
Landholdings were generally farms of 40 to 160 acres, owned by the family that worked it. In New York's Hudson Valley, however, the Dutch patroons operated very large landed estates and rented land to tenant farmers.
Ethnically, the Middle Colonies were more diverse than the other British colonial regions in North America and tended to be more socially tolerant. For example, in New York, any foreigner professing Christianity was awarded citizenship, leading to a more diverse populace. As a consequence, early German settlements in the Americas concentrated in the Middle Colonies region. Indentured servitude was especially common in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York in the eighteenth century, though fewer worked in agriculture.
German immigrants favored the Middle Colonies. German immigration greatly increased around 1717, and many immigrants began coming from the Rhineland. They were erroneously labeled the Pennsylvania Dutch, and comprised one-third of the population by the time of the American Revolution. The industry and farming skills they brought with them helped solidify the Middle Colonies prosperity. They were noted for tight-knit religious communities, mostly Lutheran but also including many smaller sects such as the Moravians, Mennonites and
Show More

Related Documents: The Middle Colonies

Middle Colonies Benefits

Out of the North, South, and Middle colonies the middle colonies had everything people needed. The middle colonies were made up of New York, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. New York was found 1626 and Delaware was found in 1638 both colonies were found by Peter Minuit. New Jersey was found in 1664 and was granted to Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. Pennsylvania was found in 1682 by William Penn. The Middle Colonies have a variety of types of people because they needed people for…

Words 837 - Pages 4

Middle Colonies Essay

THE MIDDLE COLONIES The middle colonies consist of New york ,New jersey ,Delaware and Pennsylvania. Starting with Delaware it was founded in 1638 by Peter Minuit . Also a part of the middle colony Pennsylvania founded in 1682 by William Penn . New Jersey founded In 1664 by English colonists. last but not least New York founded in 1626 also by Peter Minuit.Most of these colonies were a part of the first 13 colonies. New York was very successful had major towns and cities. New York was also…

Words 470 - Pages 2

Middle Colonies In The 1600s

In the Middle Colonies were there any other sources of transportation besides boats in the 1600’s? Besides boats, Middle Colonies in the 1600’s also used horse drawn carts and wagons as a source of transportation. Why was New York important, and who lived there? How were the Middle Colonies different from the other colonies?…

Words 340 - Pages 2

Middle Colonies Vs Southern Colonies Essay

When people from Europe and other countries came to the new world they made many colonies believing in different things, but also some of the same things. There was the Southern Colonies, the Middle Colonies, and the New England Colonies. They had many beliefs of the same thing, but they also had different ones too. Some differences they had included where they lived, the economy of each colony region, the government, and their religion. They all lived in different areas in the United States. They…

Words 583 - Pages 3

Essay On Slavery In The Middle Colonies

Slavery among the colonies Slavery was very common among the colonies. It was started early on because of high demand for indentured servants and low supply. This led to a time of desperation and people turned to slaves for labor in whatever field they chose. Slaves soon became a key part of economic growth. Even though they supported all of the economies economically, the type of treatment and work they received varied based on where they lived. Out of all of the colonized regions…

Words 560 - Pages 3

Middle Colony Vs New England Colony Essay

that contrasted the three colonies. For New England’s colony, because its families always migrated in units and its towns were set up so that they would be central of community life, the Puritans were able to maintain their traditions fully. In a Puritan family, doing domestic work was a must for women. Before marriage, a woman must bring her goods which she saved since her childhood. A man must have enough farmland so that he could support his family. For Middle colony, it welcomed every race and…

Words 407 - Pages 2

Similarities Between Middle And Southern Colonies

similarities between the Northern, Middle, and Southern colonies were or even how they contrast in different ways? Well, if you have today I will give you that answer. I will be telling what each of these colonies were and what similarities and differences they had. To start off I would like to tell you about the Northern colony. The Northern colony was also known as the New England colony and mostly Englishmen settled here. As more settlers came into the Northern colony economics, religion, and…

Words 521 - Pages 3

Compare And Contrast New England And Middle Colonies

shipbuilding, fishing, and trading. Colonists also relied on English imports such as glass, linens, paint, and household items. Middle Colonies had a much better climate than New England. Farming was a much bigger part of their colony. The middle colonies contained two large cities – Philadelphia and New York. These cities were centers for trade. Of the three colonies, the Middle…

Words 283 - Pages 2

Differences Between New England And Middle Colonies

lifestyle to glorify God and their spiritual life. In contrast, the Middle Colonies invited individuals from different lifestyles. However, the Southern Colonies were established as economic ventures and were looking for regular assets to give material riches to the motherland and themselves. “Another difference is clearly noted in the human resources. New England had skilled craftsmen in the industry of shipbuilding. The Middle presented a diverse workforce of farmers, fisherman, and merchants.…

Words 122 - Pages 1

differences and similarities betwwen the middle,new england and chesapeake colonies Essay

Pros and Cons on Raising The Minimum Wage Raising minimum wages actually promotes growth (Meroney, 1995) and will have a positive effect on the economy. The positive effect will come from promoting job growth. This statement was made by U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich. Reich recommended that the minimum wage of $4.25 and hour be pushed up to $5.15 an hour over a two-year period. Reich said, it has been shown that pushing the minimum wage up, would assist in welfare reform, and lower the number…

Words 605 - Pages 3