The middle colonies:
Included: New York Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware
Farmers in the middle colonies had many
advantages: Rich soil Mild climate Long growing season Deep rivers
Farming
• Because of good soil
and climate people could produce crops to sell
• These became known as Cash Crops- crops grown to sell for profit
• They produced so much grain they became known as the bread basket colonies
Crops for sale
• Many farmers in the middle colonies shipped their goods through Philadelphia and New York
• They shipped them via the Delaware river and the Hudson river
Port cities
Many of the Pennsylvania Dutch utilized the
Conestoga wagon It was:
Larger More sturdy Covered Large wheels
Conestoga Wagon
Owning land was very important to the
colonists 5 families owned most of the land (their
estates could cover up to 2 million acres) The owner or Patroon ran their estates like
tiny kingdoms People who farmed the land had to pay rent
New York farmers
By the mid 1700’s Philadelphia and New York
were the two largest cities in the colonies They were important trading and
manufacturing centers Cities were a contrast to the quiet countryside
Streets were paved with brick or cobblestone They were lined with shops and inns Crowds of people spoke many languages
Cities Grow Quickly
The middle colonies were settled by people from
many countries with different: Beliefs Customs languages
A different kind of community:
• The colonies did not have any single religion
that was more powerful then the others• Religions included– Roman catholic– Jewish– Amish– Mennonite– Calvinists– Quaker– Lutherans
Many Religions:
People worked together to:
Clear land Barn raising Sheep shearing Quilting
Country Customs and Fun
Early colonists settled along the Atlantic coast
and the banks of large rivers As more people arrived they moved further
inland Frontier- a thinly settled area on the outer
limits of the colonies For the middle colonies the frontier was the
foothills of the Appalachian Mountains
The Frontier
People who settled here were mainly seeking
new adventure and freedom They had to partake in extra chores like:
Cutting logs for their house and fires Make furniture Make candles Make clothes Educate their children
People on the frontier
Because families on the frontier all faced
many dangers and hardships: They gained a spirit of independence and
equality Women worked alongside men Different culture groups shared thoughts and
ideas There were no social class distinctions
Dangers on the frontier