The Middle Colonies

1
The Middle Colonies

• Chapter 4.2

2
Overview

• Why did the colony of New Netherlands become the
  colony of New York?
• Why did New Jersey separate from New York
• How was Pennsylvania founded?
• What was life like in the middle Colonies?

3
Read
PLEASE READ PAGES 108-112
4
New Netherlands become New York

• Dutch set up the colony along the Hudson River
• To entice farming, they allowed large parcels of
  land to a few rich families, these huge estates
  are called patroons
• Dutch families were mostly Dutch Reform Church
  (Protestants), they allowed other religions such
  as Catholics and French Protestants to settle

5
English Rivalry with the Dutch

• Rivalry began in 1664 with England, Peter
  Stuyvesant swore to protect the colony.
• Harsh rule made Stuyvesant unpopular.
• Little weapons/gunpowder to defend against
  English.
• Surrender to English, New Amsterdam renamed New
  York after King Charles brother, Duke of York.

6
New Jersey Separates from New York

• Duke of York thought New York to big to rule.
• Gave the land to Lord Berkeley and Sir Carteret,
  set up a proprietary colony.
• Fertile land attracted English and Dutch
  settlers, most moving from New York.
• 1702, New Jersey became a royal colony.

7
Founding of Pennsylvania

• William Penn founded colony in 1681.
• Joined the Quakers, one most despised religious
  groups.
• Quakers were Protestant reformers, all people
  were equal in sight of God.

8
More about the Quakers

• The Holy Experiment, Penn wanted a colony based
  on a model of religious freedom, peace and
  Christian living.
• Spoke out for fair treatment of Native Americans,
  insisted that all settlers pay for land.
• Native American respected Penn for his efforts,
  allowing settlers many years of peace.

9
The Colony Grows

• Penn sent pamphlets to Europe describing the
  colony.
• New arrivals came from England, Scotland, Wales,
  France, Netherlands, and Germany
• German speaking Protestants who become
  Pennsylvania Dutch
• 1730-1750, African slaves came to the colony,
  making up 1/3rd of population, centered around
  Philadelphia.

10
Delaware

• Region called initially the Pennsylvania Lower
  Counties.
• Lands were part of the lower Delaware River.
• 1701, Penn allowed these people to elect their
  own assembly.
• 1704, Delaware would break away from
  Pennsylvania.

11
Life in the Middle Colonies

• The Eastern Counties thrive by raising cash
  crops such as wheat, barley and rye, sold at
  market.
• The Middle Colonies exported so much grain they
  were known as the Breadbasket Colonies.
• They also had plenty of livestock, pigs and
  cattle. These were exported as far as the West
  Indies, England and Europe

12
Middle Colony Farm Life

• Farms were larger than New England Farms.
• Landowners hired workers to plant and harvest
  bounty
• Enslaved African Americans worked on a few large
  farms.

13
Other Aspects of the Middle Colonies

• Skilled Artisans such as clockmakers, locks,
  guns, glassware and stoneware brought
  manufacturing
• Settlers along the Delaware River profited from
  the rich deposit of iron ore.

14
Middle Colony Homes

• Homes were farther apart.
• Towns were less important than in New England.
• Different settlers groups influenced home style
  building.
• Swedish built log cabins
• Dutch used red brick to build narrow, high walled
  homes
• German used wood burning stove.

15
Back Country

• Germans and Scotch-Irish migrated on the eastern
  slopes of Appalachian Mountains.
• Great Wagon Road old Iroquois trail used to
  move people westward.

16
Achievement of the Back Country

• Settlers had to clear large forested areas.
• Made bowls from wood, hunted and gathered honey
  from hollows in trees.
• Gunsmith made the Pennsylvania rifle, very deadly
  weapon