Mid-Atlantic and Southern Colonies

New York and New Jersey

New York and New Jersey were initially settled by the Dutch, who established New Netherland in the early 17th century. The English seized control in 1664, renaming New Amsterdam to New York in honor of the Duke of York. New Jersey was named after the Isle of Jersey in the English Channel. The region became a melting pot of various European settlers, including Scots, French, Dutch, Swedes, Germans, and more. New Jersey was divided into East and West Jersey until 1702, when it became a single royal colony. The middle colonies, including New York and New Jersey, were known for their diverse populations and religious tolerance.

Pennsylvania and Delaware

Pennsylvania, founded by William Penn, was a colony where Quakers and other religious minorities could live in peace. It became known for its religious tolerance and prosperous economy. Philadelphia, the capital, was a major commercial hub because of Penn's excellent leadership.

Penn was also well known for how he tried to keep the peace with the Indians in Pennsylvania and Delaware. His laws required buying land from the Indians and peace with the natives.

Delaware, originally part of Pennsylvania, was granted its government in 1703 but remained under Pennsylvania's rule until the American Revolution. It shared Pennsylvania's focus on trade and agriculture.

Maryland, Carolina, and Georgia

The British colonies in the south of what is now the U.S. were divided into two regions, the Chesapeake colonies, including Maryland and Virginia, and the Southern colonies, including Georgia and the Carolinas. Maryland, established by Lord Baltimore, was intended as a haven for English Catholics and quickly flourished due to its tobacco-based economy. The Act of Toleration in 1649 ensured religious freedom for Christians, providing protection for Catholics from the increase in Protestant settlers in the colony.

The Carolinas, granted to eight Lord Proprietors by Charles II, developed strong economic ties to the Caribbean. Rice became the principal export crop, and the use of African slaves, experienced in rice cultivation, became widespread. North and South Carolina were officially separated in 1712. Georgia, founded in 1733 by James Oglethorpe, served as a military buffer against Spanish Florida and a social experiment for debtors from England who came to the New World to escape jail in England. Despite initial restrictions on land grants, rum, and slavery, Georgia's economy eventually mirrored that of South Carolina.