Question

Although New England and the Chesapeake region were both settled largely by people of English origin, by 1700 the regions had evolved into two distinct societies. Why did this difference in development occur?

Answer 1

It is evident that the settlers of Chesapeake region and New England were mostly the English people but still differences grew among them because -

(a) religious differences, the immigrants to New England were Puritans who had aim of purifying churches since they considered that churches in England are corrupt. Thus, they developed a place where they could come together to worship

(b) economy - Chesapeake had a strong and stable economy and focused on plantation of tobacco and agriculture of rice etc. While in NEw England, focus was more on small scale farming and lumbering, shipbuilding etc. They also did not use bonded labour due to their different nature of work since manufacturing sector was comparatively less intensive.

(c) role of the government in society and unity of the people.

(d) both had differences in their intentions of settlement. New England colonies had made bible as part of their daily routine in education. They also had more literacy rate and socially stable.

in 1600s, New England grew in population very fastly which lead to increasing poverty, shortage of food and huge competition among individuals. In New England, there increased disparity because of all this and there was sex ratio of one woman over 6 men which was unacceptable due to failure of policies of the government.

In Chesapeake, there was not status given on the basis of involvement of people in church, but it was so in New England which totally differentiated them from Chesapeake and gradually this difference was widened.

Hence this difference was mostly due to their different nature of occupation and differences in their way of thinking.

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