The Colonies
Geography was the primary factor and played an important role in shaping the development of the British colonies in North America. In some areas, the geography influenced the living and farming conditions for the better, and for some areas, for the worse.
The Southern colonies' geography was well-suited to farming. It was warm year round and provided a great place to produce cotton, indigo, rice, and many other crops. However they had few natural harbors. Opposite the North had thin rocky soil, a cooler climate which limited its growing season, and an abundance of natural harbors. The land on which the New England colonies were situated was rocky, heavily forested, and therefore, not suited for planting. The cold climate did not help. As a result, New England's economy did not depend on the land as much as other colonies did. The North had a far harsher working environment. The Appalachian Mountains acted as a barrier for the settlers. Instead of making their living by farming, New Englanders were loggers, fishers, whalers, and shipbuilders. This geography practically dictated that the Southern colonies would have an agriculturally based economy and the Northern economies an economy based on shipping, ship building and later manufacturing. Had the geography been reversed, the economies would likewise have been reversed.
The Middle colonies, however, fared off much better. The Middle colonies' land was very fertile and very much suited for farming and planting. The climate was warm, too. So the Middle Colonies were nicknamed the Breadbasket Colonies. They produced the majority of the bread and wheat of all the British colonies. They also had a good amount of iron ore in their land. On cleared land they also grew oats, barley, and rye and wild turkeys were more numerous than back in England. Seafood was more varied on the other side of the Atlantic because of the warmer ocean currents coming up from the south. Being in a well-balanced part of the land it
The Southern colonies' geography was well-suited to farming. It was warm year round and provided a great place to produce cotton, indigo, rice, and many other crops. However they had few natural harbors. Opposite the North had thin rocky soil, a cooler climate which limited its growing season, and an abundance of natural harbors. The land on which the New England colonies were situated was rocky, heavily forested, and therefore, not suited for planting. The cold climate did not help. As a result, New England's economy did not depend on the land as much as other colonies did. The North had a far harsher working environment. The Appalachian Mountains acted as a barrier for the settlers. Instead of making their living by farming, New Englanders were loggers, fishers, whalers, and shipbuilders. This geography practically dictated that the Southern colonies would have an agriculturally based economy and the Northern economies an economy based on shipping, ship building and later manufacturing. Had the geography been reversed, the economies would likewise have been reversed.
The Middle colonies, however, fared off much better. The Middle colonies' land was very fertile and very much suited for farming and planting. The climate was warm, too. So the Middle Colonies were nicknamed the Breadbasket Colonies. They produced the majority of the bread and wheat of all the British colonies. They also had a good amount of iron ore in their land. On cleared land they also grew oats, barley, and rye and wild turkeys were more numerous than back in England. Seafood was more varied on the other side of the Atlantic because of the warmer ocean currents coming up from the south. Being in a well-balanced part of the land it