Economic Opportunity

• The southern colonies were based on an agrarian economy

• Cash Crops were grown throughout the southern colonies

• Slave labor and indentured servitude were introduced as a way to make an even greater profit

Economic Opportunity

• The New England Colonies relied on their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean

• Shipbuilding, merchant trade, fishing, and skilled work made up for the rocky soil

Economic Opportunity

• The Middle Colonies shared traits with both of their neighbors

• Staple Crops were the leading economic resource of the region

• New York City and Philadelphia became large, important trade destinations

Religious Freedom

• Religious persecution in Europe forced thousands to look to America for a fresh start

• The Toleration Act of 1649 was the first law supporting religious tolerance in the colonies

Religious Freedom

• The Great Migration saw thousands of Puritans, led by John Winthrop, leave Europe for Massachusetts

• A charter was granted and a new society filled with tolerance, political rights, education, and self- government was founded

• William Penn was granted a charter shortly thereafter and founded Pennsylvania for the Quakers