The Middle

Colonies
Chapter 4
Section 2
 New Netherland
becomes
• Fur Traders
New
• Farmers granted large plots of land
(miles long)
• Patroons- owners of huge estates.
Powerful
• New Amsterdam was major trading
center
• Slaves made up more than ¼ of the
population
 New Jersey
Separates from
• Duke of York decided New York was too
big
• Gave some land to friends who set up
New Jersey
• Proprietary Colony- land given for a
yearly payment
• Fertile farmland
• 1702- New Jersey becomes a royal
colony (under direct control of the
English crown)
 The Founding of
Pennsylvania
• William Penn- founder 1681
• Quakers
– Most despised religion in England
– All people were equal in God’s eyes
– Spoke out against war and refused to
join the army
– Persecuted
– King Charles II named it after Penn
and issued the royal charter
• A Policy of Fairness
– A model of religious freedom, peace,
Christian living
– Many different types of religions
flocked to Pennsylvania
– English officials soon banned Catholics
& Jews
– Penn spoke out about the treatment of
Indians
– Settlers must pay Indians for the land
– Indians like Penn, peace prevailed
• The Colonies Grow
– Penn sends pamphlets back to Europe
inviting people to come to
Pennsylvania
– 1730-1750- 1/3 of the population was
slaves
– Philadelphia became the capitol,
described as
“most noble, well built city ever seen”
• Delaware
– Pennsylvania Lower Countries complained it
was too far to Philadelphia
– 1701 Penn allows the creation of a new
 Life in the Middle
Colonies
• A Thriving Economy in the Eastern
Counties
– Great Farmland – large farms
– Cash Crops- crops sold at a market
for money
– Wheat, Barley, and Rye, (Breadbasket
Colonies)
– Cattle and Pigs
– Skilled artisans- clocks, paper, glass,
guns
• Middle Colony Homes
– Towns less important, villages
became important centers for
government
– Swedish brought log cabins
– Dutch brought brick narrow tall
housing
– German brought wood burning stoves
– Families made or caught everything
they needed
• The Backcountry
– 1700’s German and Irish settlers
moved into Appalachian Mountain
region
– Moved along old Iroquois trails known
as the Great Wagon Road
– Farming this region was challenging
– Made everything from the cleared
forests
– Light weight rifle developed by
Germans
– Indians not excited to see the new
settlers