Middle Colonies and the South

Middle Colonies Middle Colonies NY, NJ, DE, PAMiddle Colonies most diverse of 13 colonies

inhabitants that included Scots, French, Dutch, Swedes, Germans, Norwegians, Irish, Poles, Portuguese, and Italians who were the forerunners of millions to come.

Why colonize here?Goal for NY, NJ, PA, & DE was to develop

profitable trading centersDutch were the first to settle here- Dutch East

India Company hired Henry Hudson, who encountered Delaware Bay and claimed the area around it for the Dutch-New Netherland, which was settled as a proprietorship. The crown granted individuals or a group of partners a charter to develop these proprietary colonies

New YorkHenry Hudson explored Hudson River1626-Dutch bought Manhattan Island from the

Native Americans for pennies on the acre called it New Amsterdam

1664-English seize New Amsterdam (Dutch surrender without any fight)

New Amsterdam renamed New York, in honor of the Duke of York

New JerseyDuke of York granted the land between the

Hudson & the Delaware Rivers to two of his friends

To attract settlers NJ offered land, established freedom of religion, and a relatively democratic government.

QuakersQuakers=Society of FriendsSpirituality was rooted in an individual’s

personal relationship with God. Quakers in England were being persecuted,

killed, and imprisoned for their beliefs. As with the Puritans, however, the English government was willing to put up with colonies of Quakers in the Americas so long as they expanded the English presence on the Atlantic Coast.

PennsylvaniaThe name of the land granted to William Penn by

the English crown. Pennsylvania named in honor of William’s father by King Charles II, Pennsylvania=Penn’s woods

Goals: establish a haven for Quakers; make money

Immigration was very diverse

PennsylvaniaPenn promoted the colony, promised land to

settlers, and had no restrictions on immigration. Amicable relationship with IndiansPenn’s new colony was liberalPenn guaranteed freedom of religion

Middle Colonies OverviewThe middle colonies were urban and linked by

trade and commerce. No dominant religious group, resulting in relative

tolerance Refuge for a variety of dissenters and religious

misfits. Coastal cities were maritime centers with ships

that brought supplies from Europe and returned to Europe filled with grains, furs, and lumber for shipbuilding.

Southern ColoniesKing Charles II grants land south of VA to

supporters in 1663Forms North and South Carolina (originally just

Carolina)South Carolina was settled largely by European

settlers from BarbadosSouth Carolina’s main cash crop is rice

South CarolinaRice is cash crop Labor force begins with Native Americans as

slaves, then indentured servants, then African slavesWhy? African slaves were slaves for life;

knowledge of rice cultivation; health factorsBy 1710 Africans outnumbered Europeans

Slave TradeMiddle Passage: voyage from Africa to the New

WorldSlaves were packed into tight quarters on slave

shipsIn S.C. slaves followed “task system” only 1 task a

day, when they were done they were done for the day

Other southern colonies “gang system” worked from sun up to sun down under watchful eye of white owner

Slavery’s BrutalityBought and sold like animalsWorked long hour hours and faced brutal

beatings for no reasonPoor diet of corn and salted porkLived in small shacks

Slavery: Holding on to Heritage

Children were given “African” namesMusic reflected heritageSpoke a “slave” language called Gullah=

language of English and African words

Slavery: ResistanceSubtle resistance was common. i.e. break tools,

fake illness, pretend not to understand EnglishSlaveholders fear rebellion

Stono RebellionWhites fear major rebellion; fear becomes a

reality in 1739Context takes place during yellow fever

outbreak

Stono Rebellion: Beginnings

20 slaves initially involved when slaved named “Jemmy” broke into a store to take weapons and powder

Traveled south, gathering 60-100 slaves along the way

Local militia stops advancementRebellion put down, but uprisings continue for

several weeks

Stono Rebellion: AftermathLargest slave rebellion of the colonial periodSlaves who participated in the rebellion were

killed and their heads were placed on milepostsNew slave code past; increasing slave patrolsTighter control on slaves and their owners

MarylandMaryland allowed for some religious toleration

when, Lord Baltimore agreed to the Act of Toleration, which guaranteed freedom of religion to anyone “professing to believe in Jesus Christ.”

GeorgiaGeorgia was founded in 1732 and named for

King George IIFounded as a buffer between South Carolina and

Spanish FloridaGeorgia was settled by those who were in

debtor’s prison in England

GeorgiaMany settlers came from Germany, Switzerland,

England, and ScotlandMissionaries attempt to spread ChristianityThe number of settlers are too small so slavery

is legalized and it becomes similar to S.C.