The Middle Colonies Chapter 6 section 2 Pages

The Middle Colonies Chapter 6 section 2 Pages 157 -162

The middle colonies: • Included: – – New York Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware

Farming • Farmers in the middle colonies had many advantages: – Rich soil – Mild climate – Long growing season – Deep rivers

Crops for sale • Because of good soil and climate people could produce crops to sell • These became known as Cash Crops- crops grown to sell for profit • They produced so much grain they became known as the bread basket colonies

Port cities • Many farmers in the middle colonies shipped their goods through Philadelphia and New York • They shipped them via the Delaware river and the Hudson river

Conestoga Wagon • Many of the Pennsylvania Dutch utilized the Conestoga wagon • It was: – Larger – More sturdy – Covered – Large wheels

New York farmers • Owning land was very important to the colonists • 5 families owned most of the land (their estates could cover up to 2 million acres) • The owner or Patroon ran their estates like tiny kingdoms • People who farmed the land had to pay rent

Business, Trade, and Cities Page 159

Cities Grow Quickly • By the mid 1700’s Philadelphia and New York were the two largest cities in the colonies • They were important trading and manufacturing centers • Cities were a contrast to the quiet countryside – Streets were paved with brick or cobblestone – They were lined with shops and inns – Crowds of people spoke many languages

A different kind of community: • The middle colonies were settled by people from many countries with different: – Beliefs – Customs – languages

Many Religions: • The colonies did not have any single religion that was more powerful then the others • Religions included – Roman catholic – Jewish – Amish – Mennonite – Calvinists – Quaker – Lutherans

Country Customs and Fun • People worked together to: – Clear land – Barn raising – Sheep shearing – Quilting

The Frontier • Early colonists settled along the Atlantic coast and the banks of large rivers • As more people arrived they moved further inland • Frontier- a thinly settled area on the outer limits of the colonies • For the middle colonies the frontier was the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains

People on the frontier • People who settled here were mainly seeking new adventure and freedom • They had to partake in extra chores like: – Cutting logs for their house and fires – Make furniture – Make candles – Make clothes – Educate their children

Dangers on the frontier • Because families on the frontier all faced many dangers and hardships: – They gained a spirit of independence and equality – Women worked alongside men – Different culture groups shared thoughts and ideas – There were no social class distinctions