Economy: How did they
make a living? What was the infrastructure for their economy? |
Issue |
New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI) |
Middle Colonies (DE, NY, NJ, PA) |
South (GA, MD, NC, SC, VA) |
In which colonial regions were the
cities/ports? merchants?
(#s from the
1770s) |
Smaller cities, ports ·
Boston = 16,000 ·
Newport (RI) = 11,000 |
Big cities, ports: ·
Philadelphia = 28,000 ·
New York = 25,000 |
Charles Town = 12,000 Trading managed by merchants from Britain/New England |
Where were tobacco, rice, and wheat grown and where
were they sold? |
Wheat grown = Connecticut Valley Wheat sold = New England, South, West
Indies. (Also shipped meat to South.) |
NY, PA − Same as Connecticut Valley. |
Tobacco grown = Chesapeake (VA. MD) Rice grown = Carolina (South) and GA, with
South Carolinians migrating into GA after the 1750s with their slaves. Tobacco and rice sold = Northern colonies
and Europe Trading managed by merchants from Britain, later
northern colonies. |
Where were there
industries? |
Lumbering, mining, and fishing – on the coast. 1640s – Iron plant established MA. |
1760s, NJ iron plant; other small ones |
Not major industry. Some lumbering, naval stores—things used in making
ships. |
What was the difference both in the type of trades
and crafts industries in the North and in the South and who was involved in
those occupations? |
In general, workers = white laborers or
entrepreneurs in colonial towns. Types of trades and crafts: ·
Blacksmiths, cabinet makers,
cobblers, rifle makers, silversmiths ·
Owners of mills for processing
grain, cloth, or lumber |
In general, workers = slaves on or from large
plantations earning money for their owners and possibly their own freedom Types of trades and crafts: ·
Blacksmithing, carpentry,
cobbling ·
Small shopkeepers selling
services |
|
What was the difference in the North and South South? |
Had an infrastructure—that is, had commercial or
merchant class with ships, contacts, and expertise required for global trade.
Ship builders – 40% of British merchant vessels. |
South imports and exports directly to merchants
(first British, later Northern). |
New England ·
CT – Connecticut ·
ME – Maine ·
MA – Massachusetts ·
NH – New Hampshire
|
Middle Colonies ·
DE – Delaware ·
NY – New York ·
NJ – New Jersey ·
PA – Pennsylvania |
South ·
GA – Georgia ·
MD – Maryland ·
NC – North Carolina ·
SC – South Carolina
|
Copyright C. J. Bibus, Ed.D. 2003-2020 |
WCJC Department: |
History – Dr. Bibus |
Contact Information: |
281.239.1577 or bibusc@wcjc.edu |
Last Updated: |
2020 |
WCJC Home: |