The Middle Colonies
Chapter 3 Section 3p. 77
Section Focus
How did the diverse Middle Colonies develop and thrive?
Geography of the Middle Colonies
● 4 States made up the Middle Colonies:
● It had 2 water sources through New York:
● Hudson River (flows South through Eastern NY)● Atlantic Ocean (Long Island over 100 miles into ocean
● New York (Largest)● Pennsylvania (2nd largest)● New Jersey (3rd largest)● Delaware (Smallest)
Geography of the Middle Colonies
● Pennsylvania, the second largest state has a southeastern section of lowlands
● New Jersey is mostly lowlands along the Atlantic Coast
● Philadelphia, its largest city is located there on the Delaware River
● Delaware is a coastal state that is south of New Jersey
● Farming was much easier in the Middle Colony than in New England:
● Fertile Soil● Warmer Climate● Longer Growing Season
New York and New Jersey
● New York began as a small Dutch colony of New Netherland
● Farmers along the Hudson River were prosperous
● It became economically successful by 1660
● This colony was a profitable base for fur trade between Dutch and Native Americans
● The melting pot of people there were hostile towards Dutch rule
● Tension also existed between England and the Netherlands
New Netherland Becomes New York
● After a battle between the English and the Dutch, the Dutch surrendered immediately
● The colony was renamed New York after James, the Duke of York
● James was the brother of England’s ruler King Charles II
● New Amsterdam, the capital, became New York City
New Jersey
● New Jersey was established in 1665
● Part of New York split off to form a new colony
● At first, it was a proprietary colony - a colony created by a grant of land from a monarch to an individual or family
● In 1702, it received a new charter as a royal colony
● A royal colony is controlled directly by the English king
● What conditions in the Middle Colonies favored farming?
● How might settlers in the Middle Colonies use the natural resources around them to build an economy?
● What is the difference between a proprietary colony and a royal colony?
Pennsylvania and Delaware
● Another religious group in England were the Quakers
● They believed differently than the Puritans and were among the first groups of people to speak out against slavery and in favor of women’s rights
● Thousands of Quakers in England no longer wanted to pay taxes to support the Church of England because of their differing beliefs
● Many Quakers were persecuted for this
● A Quaker leader named William Penn wanted to find a place for them to live safe from persecution
Pennsylvania and Delaware
● He used his “connections” to receive a charter from the king for a new Colony in North America
● In 1681, he received an area almost as large as England itself in mainly what is now current day Pennsylvania
Penn’s “Holy Experiment”
● Penn arrived in his colony in 1682 and established the capital named Philadelphia, which means “City of Brotherly Love”
● Soon, settlers from many different countries began to arrive
● Penn wanted his colony to be accepting of people from all religious backgrounds and a place they could live peacefully
● Penn also tried to deal fairly with Native Americans by not allowing colonists to settle on land until it was rightfully sold to them by the Native Americans
Delaware: A Separate Colony
● People from Sweden were the first European settlers in Delaware
● Dutch controlled it only until the English began to take over New York
● Penn’s charter for Pennsylvania included Delaware and he allowed them to form their own assembly (government)
● In 1704, Delaware became a separate colony
Growth and Change
● More than 20k people lived in colonies in Pennsylvania by the 1700s
● Fertile soil and hard workers made farms productive
● Their top cash crop, wheat, was sold to the New England Colonies and abroad
● Manufacturing was also taking off during this time producing iron, flour, and paper
● Artisans were also bringing money into the town with workers as shoemakers, carpenters, masons, weavers, and coopers
The Backcountry
● The Western section of Pennsylvania was called the backcountry
● The backcountry was a frontier region extending through several colonies, from Pennsylvania to Georgia
● By the middle of the 1700s, many settlers were pushing South and West along a route that led from Pennsylvania to Georgia
● This route was known as The Great Wagon Road because of the transportation that was used
● These backcountry travelers often had altercations with the Native Americans
● On a half sheet of paper● Check Your Progress● p. 81● 1, 2, 4, 5