Characteristics_of_the_New_Colonies

According to the readings, the Jamestown (Virginia) colony, the Massachusetts Bay colony, and Maryland have many differences, but they also have several similarities. The establishment of Maryland took on a similar nature as the Jamestown colony in that it relied heavily on the tobacco trade. The trading of furs and skins of small animals was also very significant to Maryland’s establishment. The Jamestown colony encountered hardships in the beginning due to the fact that the settlers who arrived were mostly young, single men who came to Virginia mainly for economic reasons and were not willing to work to establish permanence. The Massachusetts colony did not endure as much hardship due to the fact that the settlers consisted of families who were looking to establish permanent communities. These settlers were Puritans looking for religious freedom and created close-knit communities which revolved around the Congregational church. Their priority was in God, as evidenced by John Winthrop’s sermon, “A Model of Christian Charity.” Although the Jamestown colony remained loyal to England and to the Anglican church, they did not place as much significance on religion. In contrast, the Maryland settlers swore their allegiance to Lord Baltimore, not to the King of England, and practiced religious tolerance. Jamestown prospered with the growth of the tobacco trade. This, in turn, prompted the need for indentured servants to help cultivate the tobacco crop. Because of this need, the majority of Jamestown’s population became black slaves and made for an imbalance of social class, whereas the Massachusetts colony consisted mainly of white English people. Each one of these colonies had their own separate struggles, but each seemed to overcome their hardship in ways that helped them endure and become strong.