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