11A
September 24, 2012
DBQ ESSAY
Question: Although New England and the Chesapeake region were both settled largely by of English origin, by 1700 the region had evolved into two different societies. Why did this difference in development occur?
Thesis Statement: When talking about New England and the Chesapeake region, you have to consider the differences in motives and geography. Consider economic situations (reasons for settling where they did, reasons why they came to New England in the first place). One has to think about the family development and demographics, as well as the government structure.
Thought New England and the Chesapeake region were both settled with a majority of English origin. By 1700 the region had evolved into two completely different societies. When talking about New England and the Chesapeake region, you have to consider the differences in motives and geography. Consider economic situations (reasons for settling where they did, reasons why they came to New England in the first place). One has to think about the family development and demographics, as well as the government structure. All these differences helped sculpt the colonies into their own significant and distinct ways of living. The geography of the New England Colonies was not the best. The soil was very rocky. This made agriculture for the New England colonist nearly impossible to achieve. Eventually the English brought pigs, horses, sheep, and cattle to the settlements. This required pastureland so the colonists were constantly clearing forests. The New England colonists were fed up with all of the rocky land, not being able to farm and plant, they moved towards the coast. The dense forests allowed a bounty of timber which was used for building ships that could be used for various. Also, there was an abundance of fish off the coast of Newfoundland, which made the New Englanders very wealthy. The Chesapeake region however, had very fertile soil. The