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Chesapeake Colonies Dbq

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New England vs. Chesapeake

While both the people of the New England region and of the Chesapeake region descended from the same English origin, by 1700 both regions had traveled in two diverse directions. Since both of these groups were beset with issues that were unique to their regions and due to their exposure to different circumstances, each was forced to rethink and reconstruct their societies. As a result, the differences in the motivation, geography, and government in the New England and Chesapeake regions caused great divergence in the development of each.

As the regions began to expand and develop, their motivations for settlement helped to mold their societies. New England was a place where men sought refuge from religious …show more content…

Colonists came primarily to the Chesapeake region to increase their wealth. The vast variety of immigrants to the Chesapeake region was young men seeking economic opportunity (Doc C). The differences in the New England and Chesapeake’s primary motivations for settlement led to the divergent societies.

While both colonies were settled in Eastern America, the regional geography had a hand in influencing this expansion. New England was known for its harsh climate, forcing its inhabitants to endure brutal winters, and miserably hot summers. Because many European immigrants sought arable land, the unyielding soil of New England impeded the immigrants agriculturally and forced them to depend on livestock. They criticized the Indians for “wasting” the land-not using what little arable land they had to its full potential. As a result, the New Englanders used up as much land as they could to make sure “[t]hat everyone shall have a share of the meadow or planting ground…” (Doc D). They felt it was their duty to clear woodlands and establish a settlement. Additionally, they turned to the coastline and built harbors to fish rather than farm, unlike their Southern counterparts. Geography had a different impact on the people of the Chesapeake region. The people of Chesapeake capitalized on their good soil, and, unlike the New Englanders, they grew tobacco. Tobacco proved very profitable and

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