CA - Mid-Atlantic Colonies Lesson

Mid-Atlantic Colonies

Pennsylvania was in the territory between New England and Virginia. It was a colony founded by the religiously tolerant Quakers, led by William Penn. Further north, New York was settled by the Dutch, who called it New Amsterdam. In 1664, the British conquered the colony and renamed it New York. A diverse population kept alive this center of trade and commerce founded by the Dutch, whom the British invited to remain there. With members of various British and Dutch churches, New York tolerated different religions.

A Closer Look - Map Highlighting the Middle Colonies

Image Credit: Map used and altered with permission from Mr. Nussbaum.com (http://mrnussbaum.com/13colonies/13regions/)

View the presentation below.

Mercantilism

The founders of the British colonies were greatly influenced by an economic theory known as mercantilism. This theory held that Earth had a limited supply of wealth in the form of natural resources, especially gold and silver, so the best way to become a stronger nation was to acquire the most wealth. Because the world's wealth was thought to be limited, the more one country had, the less any other country could have. Consequently, as a nation became stronger and wealthier, its enemies became poorer and weaker.

Mercantilism inspired the British government to view its American colonies as sources of wealth that would make Britain wealthier and stronger. The more land the British could colonize in America, the less land in the New World there would be available to France and other European countries. The more American goods the British could sell to other countries, the less money those countries would have for themselves. Great Britain would get greater, and its European rivals would get weaker.

Mercantilism also inspired Parliament to control trans-Atlantic trade with its American colonies. All goods shipped to or from British North America had to travel in British ships, and any goods exported to Europe had to land first in Britain to pay British taxes. Some goods could be exported to Britain only. These restrictions, called the Navigation Acts, were designed to keep the colonies from competing against Britain. The acts were vigorously enforced at times, and virtually ignored at other times. Some Americans responded by becoming smugglers.

 

RESOURCES IN THIS MODULE ARE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) OR CREATED BY GAVS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. SOME IMAGES USED UNDER SUBSCRIPTION.