The Middle Colonies

Chapter 4

Section 2

New Netherland becomes New York

• Fur Traders
• 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

• Protestants, but tolerated other religions

• 1664 English/Dutch rivalry peaked and English took over renaming it New
York

New Jersey Separates from New York

• 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)
• Religious freedom & right to an assembly

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 assembly

– 1704- Penn allows them to break off and form Delaware

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

– Region rich in Iron Ore

• 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

– Occasional violence and disputes broke out