The Middle Colonies

American Pageant- Ch3- M. Carter

www.artlumi.co.uk

New England Confederation• Inter-colonial unity• Puritan colonies• Massachusetts (Plymouth and MBC)• Connecticut (Hartford and smaller

settlements)• Intentionally left out “Rogues’ Island”• GOAL: defend against common

enemies

Early neglect

• From the first settlement @ Jamestown, England did not get overly involved in colonial affairs

• Issues, such as fighting between Spain and England, further distracted England.

• English Civil War further kept them distracted.

Restoration• Charles II, restoration of a king to the

thrown, began a period of tighter control from England.

• New colonies appeared= “restoration colonies”= Carolinas & Georgia

• Enforcement of laws• Revocation of long-held charters= loss

of self-government

England tightens her grip

• Governing bodies are forcefully disbanded

• Navigation Laws enforced- required colonists to trade with Britain and British colonies – Increase in smuggling

• Creation of the Dominion of New England

Sir Edmund Andros

• Dominion of New England– Why was this body so hated, compared to

the New England Confederation?• Infringed upon their liberties

– Restricted town meetings– Taxing without consent of the governed– Revocation of legal documents and

governance

Glorious Revolution

• After nearly 30 years on the verge of rebellion, colonists were relieved when James II was dethrowned and replaced with William and Mary.

• Life in the colonies did not return to “normal” but they entered into a term of “salutary neglect.”

Salutary Neglect• A period to time when the British

“neglect” the colonies. They are hands-off and pay little attention to what is going on. During this time period the colonists will be more independent and learn to defend themselves, govern themselves, and depend upon each other. Ultimately, this will be one factor leading to the American Revolution.

MIDDLE COLONIES

Dutch (Holland)

• New Netherlands• Now known as New

York City• Ethnically diverse• Port for trade

Swedes

• New Sweden• Now known as

Delaware• Short-lived colony• Captured by the

Dutch, under the leadership of Peter Stuyvesant around 1655

England

• Captures both colonies

• Controls from GA to ME

• Renamed New Amsterdam to New York

Pennsylvania• “Penn’s Woods”• Refuge for Quakers• Land of religious

tolerance• Political freedoms• Friendly with Native

Americans• Very diverse

ethnically• Socially stratified

• William Penn• Land granted in

return for a debt owed to his father

• Philadelphia- “City of Brotherly Love”

• Proprietary colony

Who are Quakers?

• Society of Friends• Pacifists• Social reform• First abolitionists• Strong work ethic• Strong religious

beliefs

Life in the Middle Colonies

• New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania

• “breadbasket”• Land & climate were

better than in NE• Large seaports for

shipping

• Most tolerant colonies

• Democratic spirit• Ethnic diversity