What were their similarities?
Had ample natural resources
English colonies Settled for similar
reasons Economic Religious
How did the North and South become different?
The North and South remained distinctly different because once the first decision was made, all future decisions are limited by those previously made.
Behavior of the people changed due to the way the colony or region responded to the economic market.
Example: Southern Colonies
The South had little experimentation to do before they realized that the land was an agricultural gold mine
South became organized economically, socially, politically and culturally around agriculture and the plantation.
Climate: WarmNatural Resources: Fertile soil
Effects of Economic DecisionsSouth Tobacco and Rice (Staple or Cash Crops)
quickly found to be staple, money making crops Led to the dependency on slavery
Plantations 1620s Dominated the South by the 1770s
Slave-based economy (40% population) A small group of white planters and merchants Extreme inequalities in wealth Weak and slow growth
Transportation Networks Educational organization Religious organization
Effects of Economic DecisionsMiddle Most ethnically and economically diverse region Excellent harbors (NY & PA), fertile valleys, and trading
posts Agriculture, manufacturing, and trade all worked and
played off of each other Thousands of agricultural, manufacturing and commercial
activities All types economic activities, including craft and artisanal
jobs. NO GREAT STAPLE MARKET High domestic demand for wheat
Family farming Paid and indentured labor were used Little slave labor was used as well, but not to the extent of
the South Wealth
Distributed more evenly More jobs Exchange of materials and ideas
Effects of Economic DecisionsNew England
Didn’t have one staple agricultural item Did not have exports of high importance for
England Overcame limitations in natural resources Improvised
A strategy based on flexibility and creativity (used what they had) Combined subsistence activities with local, regional, and
international trade Local and regional trade Commercial and shipping services
Steady economic growth but grew wealthy Set up industry for the future Higher living standards for a large portion of the
population Little need for slavery
North South
Couldn’t produce valuable plantation staples
Limited value/use of slave labor
Economic balance and diversity
Constant innovation/change
Creative business practices
Early organization around plantation staples
High use of slave labor
No need for creativity due to the large profits that came from plantation agriculture
Led to…North South
Local and regional trade
Relatively equal distribution of wealth
More established social, educational, political and cultural institutions These were made
available to a wide variety of people
Focused on exports Very unequal
distribution of wealth Economic and social
inequalities Inflexible strategies Unskilled slave labor Low-tech Unable to develop
with the North
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