Economics during
Colonial Times:
Specialization
Author: Brenda Young
The New England Colonies
The New England Colonies
The New England Colonies were made up of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The soil in these colonies was quite rocky or too sandy, which made it difficult to farm. Farming was also difficult due to the many mountains and forests.
Climate also made farming difficult. The summers were warm and good for farming, but the winters were long and bitterly cold. The growing season lasted only a few months which caused most farmers to grow just enough food to feed their families.
Because of the climate and rocky soil, most people in New England specialized in jobs having to do with lumber, shipbuilding, and fishing. The many forests provided jobs for colonists making furniture, building homes, and shipbuilding. The ocean and rivers created jobs of fishing and whaling.
The New England colonists specialized in jobs having to do with lumber and fishing because of the rocky soil and climate.
The Middle Colonies
The Middle Colonies were made of New York, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Colonists were able to grow crops in this region because of the fertile soil. The climate also made the Middle Colonies a good place to farm. The growing season was longer than in the New England Colonies with much more sunshine and plenty of rain. The colonists in this region were able to sell their crops to nearby towns because of the wide rivers. These rivers and forests provided a rich environment for hunting. Colonists hunted and trapped many animals, such as deer and beaver. The Middle Colonists were able to specialize in farming because of the rich soil and good climate. These colonists also specialized in hunting animals for food and clothing.
The Southern Colonies
The Southern Colonies were made up of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The land along the coast of the Southern Colonies was rich for farming. The tidewater, water from rivers and streams that moved with the tides, made the soil rich. Many Southern Colonists grew cash crops. The weather made farming profitable because of the long, warm growing season. Crops grew well because of the warm weather and plenty of rain.
The climate also helped many colonists to hunt and fish for food. There were many small farms where families grew crops, hunted, and fished to feed their families. The large plantation owners grew cash crops that they were able to sell for money.
The Southern Colonies specialized in farming, especially cash crops, because of their warm climate, rich soil, and plenty of rain.
Bibliography
Enchanted Learning. 13 Colonies Printout: Label Me! Retrieved on July 13, 2010 from http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/13/13answers.shtml
Houghton Mifflin. (2006). Social studies United States history: early years. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company.
The Thirteen Colonies map. Retrieved on July 13, 2010 from http://adriannehopkins.tripod.com/13.htm