Detailed Comparison of The New England and Chesapeake Societies

Introduction

While the idea of venturing to the “New World” began to spark interest amongst the English in the 1600s, they began to settle and expand their grounds amidst many of their rivals. They created colonies along the eastern border of what is now the United States, such as the New England colonies and the Chesapeake colonies. Despite both of these regions being populated by people of English origin, the two colonies had differences that were both evident and relevant to the way their societies evolved. The contrast formed can be traced back to different geography, as well as religion and politics. In brief, the distinction can be followed back to the motives for proper colonization.

Geographical and Economic Differences

First and foremost, the evolving societies revealed major distinctions between their geography, which led to the formation of their respective economies. The economic system in the Chesapeake colonies was built on commercial farming, tobacco cultivation, and the plantation system, whereas the New England people were involved in farms that sold the extra produce to the market, fishing, the lumber industry, and commercial ventures. Indeed, many factors contributed to the way each region grew and became distinct, such as the unique geography of each region. The Chesapeake region had very rich soil and warm weather, which contributed to their prosperity in the farming business. They were able to produce tobacco, indigo, and rice to make a living. On the contrary, the New England area had rocky soil and cold weather, which limited farming, so they had to turn to fishing and the lumber industry instead (Smith, 2017). The geography of these areas also explained why there were more slaves in the Chesapeake due to the extensive farming they needed to do. In comparison, the New England people did not depend on slavery for their growing economy, which created an impact on how diversified the economy was. The geography of each land was a given, so the people of each region had to learn and adapt to make a profit in any way they could with the resources that were available to them.

Religious Influence

Religion played a significant role in creating a separation between the New England and Chesapeake people. To begin with, the Articles of Agreement were written with the perspective that God would like the colony to work in a certain way. The agreement also emphasized that their first concern was to establish a church and get a minister. The New England area utilized religion to build a stronger community and provide a reason for people to follow. In the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where the Puritans resided, there was a religious concept that people had to meet God's expectations, or else God would punish them by ruining their colony. At this time, John Winthrop became governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where he wrote "A Model of Christian Charity" in 1630. Winthrop began by explaining how God created everyone differently, some with more wealth and power, others with less; however, everyone should treat each other with respect and kindness (Winthrop, 1630). He emphasized what God wished upon his people, claiming that God showed wisdom by creating everyone with different statuses and that one community should all serve one God. As governor, John Winthrop established responsible and moral Christian communities, which would allow the colony to have a district with people who respect and care for each other. Conversely, in the Chesapeake, building their economy was much more valuable compared to religion. In John Smith’s words, the greed for wealth was brought to attention. The people on the ship were allowed to trade gold and other goods in return for supplies. Others on the ship fasted because they did not have valuable items, resulting in many dying of starvation. John Smith described the people on the ship as greedy, selfish, and violent (Smith, 1624). The concept of this document shows the worth of the economy put before religion. Overall, the result of John Smith’s ship encounter shows competition rather than respect for each other, as Winthrop suggested.

Political Systems

As for politics, both settlements were running their colonies in unique ways. The political systems in both regions made it very obvious that there was a separation between the advancement of each settlement. The New Englanders appeared to engage in having a religious community with land available to everyone. The basic concept behind the rules in New England was family-oriented, with small and young families. For instance, the size of a family would depend on the size of the house they owned, and everyone would share the meadow and planting ground. In contrast, the Chesapeake region lacked the sense of community and stable government that would have encouraged a more unified circle of people. Unlike the New Englanders, the settlers of the Chesapeake region came alone and without their families. In a way, this made it so that each individual did not have responsibility for anyone other than themselves, which made them more selfish. The lack of support in the Chesapeake region only lessened any chances of welfare and right doings by their people. Additionally, the New Englanders took the interest of the community to keep track of profits for merchants and kept them steady with the moral for the Puritans (Breen & Foster, 1973). On the other hand, the Chesapeake region had an unfair combination of the wealthy, the poor, and slaves. The class system in the Chesapeake region took a major toll on the way people challenged the government. For instance, in Virginia, Nathaniel Bacon contradicted the government when the governor, Sir William Berkeley, enacted friendly policies toward the Native Americans. Nathaniel Bacon claimed that the Native Americans were beyond the reach of the English Court. As a result of the rebellion, Bacon forced Berkeley to appoint him as governor; however, his rule didn't last long due to his death. In summary, the way the political system affected each region illustrated an obvious line between the New Englander and Chesapeake people. In a few words, the New England government was more intact and aware of how to keep their people unified, unlike the Chesapeake government, which led to rebellions and kept their people against each other.

Conclusion

Taking everything into account, even though the New England and the Chesapeake region were both populated by people of English origin, by 1700 they both evolved into their own distinct societies because of the politics, religion, and geography of each land. The people of New England engaged in following their Puritan faith, which helped them create an established and unified society. The people of the Chesapeake were on a mission to become wealthy and gain more profit. With these motives in mind, the two societies formed and developed to be different.

References

Breen, T. H., & Foster, S. (1973). "The Puritans' Greatest Achievement: A Study of Social Control in Massachusetts Bay During the 1630s." Journal of American History, 60(2), 283-296.

Smith, J. (1624). The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles.

Smith, J. (2017). "A Description of New England." Exploration and Conquest: The Americas After Columbus, 1500-1620, 87-102.

Winthrop, J. (1630). A Model of Christian Charity.