Facts and Information About the New England Colonies
Map of the 13 Colonies Map of the New England Colonies
Facts and Information about the New England Colonies
§ Geography: The geography of New England consisted of mountains thick with trees, rivers and poor rocky soil that was difficult to farm and unsuitable for crops
§ Natural Resources: Fish, whales, forests. New England imported agricultural products from other colonies
§ Religion: No religious freedom as the Puritans did not tolerate any other form of religion
§ Climate: Coldest of the three regions, mild and short summers leading to long, cold winters but less disease than in the warmer colonies
§ Trade / Exports: Fish, whale products, ships, timber products, furs, maple syrup, copper, livestock products, horses, rum, whiskey and beer - refer to Colonial Times
§ Farming was difficult for crops like wheat because of the poor soil but corn, pumpkins, rye, squash and beans were raised
New England Colonies Colonies - Economic Activity & Trade
There were considerable differences between the New England, Middle and Southern regions. Economic activities and trade were dependant of the environment in which the Colonists lived. The geography and climate impacted the trade and economic activities of New England Colonies. In the New England towns along the coast, the colonists made their living fishing, whaling, and shipbuilding. The fish included cod, mackerel, herring, halibut, hake, bass and sturgeon. Whale oil was a valuable resource as it could be used in lamps. Farming was difficult in New England for crops like wheat because of the poor soil but corn, pumpkins, rye, squash and beans were planted. The Northern Colonies of New England concentrated in manufacturing and focused on town life and industries such as ship building and the manufacture and export of rum.
Government in the New England Colonies
All of the systems of government in the New England Colonies elected their own legislature, they were all democratic, they all had a governor, governor's court, and a court system. The government systems used by the New England Colonies were Royal of Charter. Definitions of the government systems are as follows:
§ Royal Government: The Royal Colonies were ruled directly by the English monarchy (King)
§ Charter Government: The Charter Colonies were generally self-governed, and their charters were granted to the colonists.
Religion in the New England Colonies
The religion practiced in New England was strictly Puritan-they did not tolerate any other religions.
Summary
Unlike the Jamestown settlers, the Separatists who settled the Plymouth colony considered themselves religious pilgrims, and came to North America to practice their beliefs freely. The Pilgrims drew up the Mayflower Compact to establish laws for themselves, but would have perished if they had not received help from Native Americans.
To escape religious persecution in England, thousands of Puritans migrated to North America. Most settled in Boston under the leadership of John Winthrop. These Puritans had little tolerance of different beliefs, leaving those who were persecuted to establish new colonies in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Conflicts with Native Americans over land led to King Phillip’s War, which ultimately left the Native Americans in New England powerless