The Colonists of the New World

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In the 1600s the land of Massachusetts Bay and Virginia were the first two regions to be colonized in the New World. Both colonies, New England and Chesapeake, had each of their own separate failures and of course, their successes. Virginia’s colony focused immensely on labor and profit which took the attention away from forming community infrastructure and stability which is what allowed Massachusetts Bay to start their settlement on the right foot. Massachusetts Bay, or New England, Puritans were looking for a community wholly or at least predominantly based on religion causing conflict with the church of England. Chesapeake’s uncharitable and irrational behaviors kept them from forming the rather more important characteristics of a community. These perspectives and actual flourishing accomplishments of these two colonies, the Massachusetts Bay colony thrived in all the relevant places: Labor, economy, and community.

Initially, the amount of occupational diversity in the Massachusetts Colony made a huge impact on its labor force. When colonists first arrived in Massachusetts, the people fit themselves with a wide range of jobs. These include, men who were fit to be leaders of the colony and had experience in governing (Divine, 90). The Virginia Colony’s first settlers on the other hand, were not accustomed to the duties given to them. As a result, many of the Virginians died off in the first year. Hoping to achieve the same occupational diversity Massachusetts had, the Virginia Company send men who were artisans. This proved to be a fatal mistake, as these new immigrants were just as inexperience at work as the previous colonists were (Divine, 77). Not only were the settlers of the Massachusetts’ Colony advantageously employed...

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...peake’s immigrants abruptly and terribly. Approximately only one-sixth of the settlers survived once arriving in the colony (Divine, 77).

Virginia’s selfish ways did not lead them to accomplishment. The colonists of Chesapeake completely ignored the ways of establishing a community simply because of their hunger for land and greed for profit; Prosperity was not visible down their road. Massachusetts Bay’s unity enabled a strong, sturdy, and successful colony.

Works Cited

Divine, Robert A., et. Al. American Past and Present Eighth Edition.

New York: Pearson Longman, 2007.

Kolchin, Peter. American Slavery: 1619 – 1877, New York: Hill and Wang, 1993.

Nash, Gary., et. al. The American People: Creating a Nation and a Society. New York: Pearson Longman, 2004.

Ship’s List of Emigrants Bound for Virginia

Ship’s List of Emigrants Bound for New England

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