Northern, Middle, and Southern Colonies

Northern, Middle, and Southern Colonies America has always been a land of diversity. This dates back to the first English settlements in North America. In the beginning, the colonies were divided up into three distinct areas: northern colonies, middle colonies, and southern colonies. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island comprised the northern colonies; New York, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania made up the middle colonies; and Virginia, Maryland, Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia composed the southern colonies. The colonial areas had both similarities and differences when it came to their cities, religious beliefs, economy, and politics. Many of the cities in America formed around their natural harbors. Cities such as Philadelphia, New York, Charleston, and Baltimore prospered as seaports and commercial centers. Puritans founded New England, and many northern colonists practiced the Puritan religion. The middle colonies were in large part Quakers. The colony of Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a retreat for the Quakers. Religion in the southern colonies was not practiced with the enthusiasm of the northern and middle colonies. Most colonists in the south were Anglicans or Catholics. Politics in the colonies varied as much as their religious choice. Northern colonies were governed largely by the Puritans. Middle colonies were ruled by British monarchy, with the exception of Pennsylvania. Southern colonies had some of the oldest legislative bodies in America.
The middle and southern colonies were alike in the fact that their soil was rich enough to grow “cash crops.” Wheat was grown in abundance in the middle colonies, as well as fruit. The southern colonies thrived on their tobacco plantations. Indigo and rice were other main crops grown in southern colonies. The northern colonies were not able to farm their land like the other colonies due to the rocky soil. Instead, northern colonists made their living