American Colonies Dbq

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The American Revolution brought about unique cultural identities for each of the colonized areas. The European settlers brought with them their own ideas and customs and these adapted into new cultures. The non-English adapted to the culture of the original settlers, but only after they had been modified by the conditions in America. One could move from one colony to another relatively easily, but there were distinctions between the individual colonies and between the three groups of settlements. One of these groups was New England which was chiefly commercial and industrial. New England’s poor soil and long winters made it inferior for farming, but the New Englanders harnessed water power and established grain and saw mills. The sea also became a source of wealth. New Englanders settling in compact villages around their harbors and this influenced their developing civilization. While Plymouth …show more content…
Pennsylvania and Delaware owed their initial success to William Penn, a Quaker who aimed to attract settlers of numerous faiths and varied nationalities. He also determined that the colony was to set an example of fair and honest dealings with the Indians and entered into agreements with them while maintaining peace. Under Penn, Pennsylvania functioned smoothly and grew rapidly. The heart of the colony was Philadelphia which was full of people that represented many languages, creeds and trades. The Quakers, with their deliberate ways, their philanthropy, and their talent for successful business enterprise allowed the city to thrive. Though the Quakers dominated in Philadelphia, elsewhere in Pennsylvania other strains were well represented. The Germans came from a war-ravaged land in large numbers and became the province’s most skillful farmers. Pennsylvania was also the gateway into the new world for the Scotch Irish who became weavers and