Why did the Chesapeake and New England regions develop so differently?

By the 1700s the English came to the “New World” and settled in The Chesapeake and New England regions. The lives of the people settled in these regions were centered on two dissimilar lifestyles. Distinctive differences between these regions were in expectations, beliefs, and social cultures. The differences created a clear cut between North and South. The wide gap between the development of The Chesapeake and New England regions was mainly because of the way their lives were centered. The Chesapeake’s were geared around monetary profits and “striking it rich”, while New England’s focal point was about family and religious freedom.

The Chesapeake region was settled in part to get rich quick, like what Captain John Smith said “there was no talk…but dig gold, wash gold, refine gold, load gold…” (Doc F). Life expectancy was low because people only cared about gold. They barely took time to eat and take care of themselves.

Chesapeake

Chesapeake Executive Council Annual Meeting

Chesapeake Executive Council Annual Meeting

Diseases took its toll on the people of this region; few people lived to the age of 50. Because of that many people grew up never knowing their grandparents, which led to no family values being taught. Women were scarce; men outnumbered women six to one. In the Ship’s List of Emigrants Bound for Virginia there was about fifty single men and sixteen single women aboard. (Doc C) Governor Berkeley and His Council reported on their inability to defend Virginia against a Dutch attack because “one third of the freemen available for defense are single freemen whose labor will hardly maintain them.” (Doc G) Many woman wound up pregnant before marriage and many ended up widows having to raise a family as a single mother.

The Chesapeake region’s soil and weather was perfect for tobacco cultivation. They profited quickly with tobacco, but tobacco ruined the...