New England and Chesepeake Bay Colonies DBQ essays

New England and Chesepeake Bay Colonies DBQ essays In the period leading up to the 1700s, the New World experienced a vast separation between the many English settlers who had arrived there. The colonists of English origin parted and took different paths, one leading many to the Chesapeake Bay/Virginia area and another to the Massachusetts Bay Colony/New England territory. Although similar in origin, the New World settlers divided and evolved into two very distinct societies with varied ideals, morals, and ways of life. In the New England area religion was extremely important and dictated very much so how the colonists should act. In a letter from John Winthrop states the need for unity as we must be knit together in this work as one man (Winthrop, 1). Written on board the Arbella, Winthrop calls for each man to abridge himself for the supply of others necessities. This theme of unity and religion is also very apparent in the Articles of Agreement founded in 1636 in Springfield. The townsmen join in the belief that though some of them are rich and some poor, they all agree to share planting ground and see to it that all have suitable estates. As in Winthrops letter, the colonists agree to the number one article in which, through Gods grace, they may form a covenant and walk in all the ways of Christ (Springfield, 2). A religion-dominated institution is apparent, lastly, in Connecticut, especially in the Wage and Price Regulations. The settlers of this New England colony form a General Court where the most important objective is to [receive] such moderate profit as may enable them to serve God and their neighbors with their acts and trades...and do not enrich themselves (Connecticut, 3). Seen in all three documents is the theme of sacrificing ones self and living as a Christian to better others as Christ would. In contrast, the Virginia colony seemed to consist of more divided, gold-hungry settlers. U...