Geography
North (New England), Middle, and South
How did New England colonies make their money?
There were a lot of small businesses and local trade routes, though some farmers and businesspeople were able to trade with England
What was the House of Burgesses?
A legislature in Virginia that was made up of elected assembly members who made decisions about Jamestown
In which two colonies was there limited religious freedom?
Massachusetts Bay & Connecticut. Most settlers here were Puritan.
What was the primary reason why England wanted colonies in North America?
Money (gold)
Why were the Middle Colonies successful in trading?
Areas of New York and Pennsylvania made for perfect shipping ports. Colonists could sail out of these ports and bring trade goods to England.
Which type of resource was plentiful in the Middle Colonies and how did this affect jobs there?
Natural resources were plentiful in the Middle Colonies and this left to many jobs like iron working, metalsmithing, mining, etc.
What were the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut and why were they important?
It set out 11 laws that all of Connecticut had to abide by. This was the first example of a constitution in the colonies and it established a representative democracy in Connecticut.
In which two colonial regions was there complete religious freedom?
The South and the Middle Colonies
To spread religion (God) and for increased world power (glory)
What was the climate like in New England and how did this affect farming?
The winters were very cold which made it difficult for people to farm throughout the year
What are cash crops, where are they grown, and what are two examples?
Cash crops are crops grown exclusively for selling and trading, not consuming. They were grown in the South. Examples include indigo, cotton, sugar, and tobacco, rice, sometimes wheat/corn.
Describe New England town meetings: who was allowed? Were laws passed there?
Local town meetings where all members of a community were welcome. There were no laws made here, but it was still a way for everyone to have their voice heard on different kinds of issues.
Why was Pennsylvania considered the most democratic colony?
William Penn established a government where citizens elected assembly members who made laws
What is the name of the law-creating government body in England? Did colonists have a say in this body?
Parliament; no
Where did most colonists settle when they came to America (inland or on the coast?)
On the coast, as this gave more opportunities for fresh water, trade, and fertile soil for farming
Why did plantation owners move away from indentured servants and rely more heavily on slaves?
They were cheaper and their labor did not have a time limit
Across the colonies, which two groups were consistently left out of governments & voting?
Women and slaves/indentured servants
What was the estate system like in New York?
New York had a system of large estates where tenant farmers rented land from the landowner. The manor lords oversaw the tenants, often administering justice and collecting taxes for the manor.
What is one reason why colonists began to resent British control over the colonies?
Spread of literature like Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Increased reliance on local legislatures
Distance between England and U.S. made it hard to enforce laws
Multiple generations in the U.S. made people feel more "American" than British
Was farming easy or difficult in the Southern region, and how did this affect the settlements there?
Farming was easy in the South because of the warm climate and fertile soil. Agriculture became the most significant part of the Southern economy, and large farms (plantations) housed the wealthiest people.
Which type of colony was most profitable to England, and why is this important:
1. the South, with its abundance of farming and slave labor
2. the North, with varied industries and less slave labor
The south. Because England cared so much about money, they favored the South.
Which type of government was present across the colonies and how was this different than England's government?
All colonies established some sort of democracy. This is different than England, where there was a constitutional monarchy.
Describe the social structure of the Southern colonies.
At the top were the plantation owners and other landed white men with money. In the middle were smaller farmers. At the bottom were indentured servants and slaves.
What are two ways that England generated money from the colonies?
Taxes and trade