Ap Us Colonial America Dbq

Anthony Edwards8/24/12 AP US History- Jones Colonial the States DBQ An interesting characteristic of the colonies that the English founded during the 17th and 18th centuries on the eastern coast of modern day America is that while all were therefore settled by people from England they each collap jibed their own genuinely distinct cultures and modes of life. While the varying environ handsts from each colony to the adjoining certainly isnt a negligible factor in the diversification of the colonists cultures in the clean World, at that billet are much striking factors that dissolve be considered.The colonists themselves it projectms had rattling diametrical viewpoints, goals and demeanor when several regions are compared. Examples of deuce regions that were both settled by the English that developed very diametrical and arguably contrasting cultures are the New England and the Chesapeake colonies. It is apparent that the main goals and natures of the colonists in eit her region were dissimilar.In New England colonists were primarily Puritans and focus on religion, self- judicature, family values, and cooperation for the frank of the fellowship where in the Chesapeake colonists frequently relied on the royal government and were focused on acquiring great wealth and furthering their own individual achievement. These dissimilarities as well as other factors resembling the environment caused the two cultures to develop in very separate centerings. Every order of magnitude is shaped by its environment and its culture spate be greatly influenced by its surroundings.The society of the New England colonies was formed in an area of temperate, generally cool temperatures, bonny water, and rocky, infertile soil. This meant that the colonists werent plagued by compositiony diseases and relied on the trade of furs, lumber, and fish. This contrasts to the evil environment the Chesapeake colonists faced. The land of the Chesapeake was often mosquito infested and its inhabitants were constantly in the danger of outbreaks of disease.The Chesapeakes economy focused on tobacco as its main export, implication that the fate and the well-being of galore(postnominal) Chesapeake colonies relied on the demand of tobacco products subscribe in the Old World. Another factor that wad shape a society is the actual makeup of the people within the society. The colonies in New England were primarily settled by entire families forming communities with other families. There are m whatever accounts f the emigrants on board ships bound for America and very often the ships travelling to New England had examples of entire families seeking a snotty-nosed start with husbands, wives, sons, daughters, and occasionally servants (Document B). In contrast, the lists of emigrants bound for the Chesapeake usually held a absolute majority of young men, unrelated to one another and a small fraction of young women, again, unrelated. It seemed only individ uals, most not even at the board of 35, came to the Chesapeake to start their invigorated lives (Document C).This of hang meant that the society in New England was lie around family and understandably focusing on the well-being of those related to the colonists. In the Chesapeake most colonists held no relation to each other and so didnt terribly care for anyone else but themselves. These factors by themselves would be enough to see an ostensible difference between the societies, however thither are lifelessness more factors that led to the dissimilar developments of these two unique cultures. The Puritans that came to New England had a history of cooperation and a focus on the good of the Puritan community.After they left over(p) England to worship as they pleased and avoid persecution they went to the Netherlands. Eventually many Puritans became in a bad way(p) that their children would stick Dutchified and wanted to retain their culture. To avoid further Dutchification th e Puritans got a hire from the Virginia order to settle in the New World. They landed off the lay out however, perhaps to their benefit as they were supposed to land in the sallow Chesapeake, and found themselves in what would in conclusion be fetch New England.In 1630 a man on board a ship sailing to New England named tooshie Winthrop wrote what he thought would be A Model of Christian Charity. His views of course pleased his fellow New Englanders as he was destined to become the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for many years. His views expressed in his writings seemingly portrayed most Puritans opinions on the ideal community where all families, rich and poor, ought to work cooperatively for everyones benefit and lead the utmost brotherly affection for each other.Failure in doing so would end in beau ideals withdrawal of his assistance and allow His enemies to spill the beans ill of Him and His way of life (Document A). Clearly New Englanders held both God and cooperation in the highest reverence. In stark contrast, a certain headmaster washbasin Smith wrote an account of the history of Virginia in which he once expound his colony in a manner that would surely displease Winthrop. Captain Smith describes the food of many of the colonists being merely meal and water, men focusing only on finding and selling gold, and a chemical company of deserters trying to return to England (Document F).The colonists were ill prepared and focused more on wealth than provisions, showing no real sense of community or cooperation. It seems then that New England would be destined to develop into a serial publication of tight knit, pious, cooperative communities where the Chesapeake would consist of those who eventually succeeded in finding their fortunes and those who would eventually have to be employed by them. While all colonies were ultimately under the operate of the royal government there were varying degrees of control over each colony. Some colo nies, same(p) the ones in the Chesapeake area, were appointed a royal governor.Others like the New England colonies elected their own officials and often had freemen go in in government. A common theme throughout the history of the Chesapeake colonies is their colony on the royal government for protection and provisions. In 1673 Governor Berkeley of Virginia had pen a declaration stating how vulnerable his colony was to attack to the royal government . Berkeley claimed that there was more land to defend than the amount of men could handle, and that there were as many servants as there were freemen protecting the frontiers (Document G).Of course Berkeley was feeling for royal intervention, something he in all likelihood did more often than not. However while the dependence on royal government of the Chesapeake colonies by itself whitethorn be enough to cause substantial amounts of unrest, there was withal much corruption in the colonial government. There was eventually a rebell ion of freemen and others who felt that the upperclass of the Chesapeake colonies were using the workers and servants to benefit themselves and not the community. This rebellion was named Bacons Rebellion after the man who led the revolt.Bacon eventually wrote his Manifesto explaining why he lead the revolt against Governor Berkeley. Bacon calls to attention the fact that many officials would suddenly gain much wealth and power that seemed almost inconceivable to achieve given their status entering the colony. Bacon alike claims that the colonial officials were victorious from public wealth and resources to increase their own power (Document H). Bacon and many others like him were tired of being controlled by those who they believed to be corrupt and thieving.Both of these instances show how the Chesapeake colonies relied on royal officials to govern them. This may be due to the fact that the Virginia Company was fundamentally in control of the Chesapeake while it was still at s tartle being colonised, and most of the men didnt care about who was in charge so long as they could find a way to obtain their fortunes. The Chesapeake colonists goals were minusculesighted and put themselves in a prime position to be oppressed by disregarding the importance of their roles in government and focusing on their pursuit of wealth.Where the Chesapeake colonists actions are a prime example of how to allow a group of people to be oppressed, the New England colonists took a very hands on approach to their own government resulting in an overall better tone of life and community. There were many regulations and articles that the colonial government set forward to keep their communities running smoothly and fairly. In 1636 there were several Articles of stipulation appointed in Springfield, Massachusetts that set forth a device to make a proper, Puritan community.The articles claimed that as soon as practical the community would procure a minister for the town, that th e town would be comprised of forty families regardless of their financial standing, and these families will have a proportionate fleck of land to live on and a section of the meadow or planting ground (Document D). The goal of these articles was to allow the town to maintain passable opportunity for all inhabitants to contribute to society in whatever way they could, and to live as comfortably as possible while doing it.In 1676, computed tomography made regulations on wages and prices for its inhabitants to avoid tradesmen and merchants overpricing their goods only to benefit themselves. The regulations also stated that the tradesmen and sellers may receive a moderate profit in order to better serve the community and God as overpricing their wares would be sinful and oppressive (Document E). The New England colonists wished to not only make their new homes in the New World, but also to deliver a place where all Puritans and New Englanders can live in tight knit, fair, and theore tical account Christian societies.The New England colonists did not only set up standard communities for themselves, but also for their children and their childrens children and so on. This reflects the colonists focus on community, self-government, and family values. An grand thing to remember about the colonists that settled the Chesapeake and New England is that they once did parcel out a country and society in England even though it may seem that they might as well have came from completely different countries.It is then important to note that simply because two groups of people come from the same country, doesnt mean they are alike in any way. To look at our own country now, although we are often taught that we can all find common ground amongst those in our society there are still blatant differences in culture between ethnicities, regions, and religions. However, it is more prevalent to look at ones goals and aspirations to truly see how unique each person or group of peop le can be.The Chesapeake and New England colonists were both English and where England may seem to have a relatively homogenous culture the goals of the colonists were basically opposites. The New Englanders wanted a place where they can live and thrive in holy, cooperative, safe communities and provide a place where their people and their children can live the best lives possible. The Chesapeake colonists basically only wanted to find their fortunes and acquire wealth and power. These goals are reflected in both of the regions development.Lest we not forget then, that we as a people essential now focus on what our goals are. If any lesson can be taken from the development of the New England and Chesapeake colonies now for our country it is that if we focus on short sighted goals like the corrupted American Dream of fortune or the corporations and big businesses main wishes of continued unsustainable destruction of resources and environments only for profit then we shall perhaps f ind ourselves in the position the Chesapeake colonists found themselves in.However, if we take a lesson from the New England colonists and focus on building a better tomorrow for our children and society then perhaps we shall thrive in model communities like the ones found in Massachusetts or Connecticut or elsewhere in colonial New England. It is important that we recognise what sort of passage we are heading down, we must learn from our past to provide a better future for generations to come.