Chesapeake Colonies Dbq Analysis

New England and the Chesapeake region were both settled by people largely of English origin. However by 1700 both regions had evolved into their own distinct societies, drastically differing from one another. Although the settlers of these two regions may have all come from English origin, contrasting motives of the settlers resulted in the creation of two societies independent of one another. These regions developed into two distinct societies due to the difference in their founders motives. In the Chesapeake region the colony of Jamestown, Virginia was formed by the Virginia Company. The company's goal for creating the colony was to find gold. Captain John Smith noted a lack of unity amongst the poorly prepared, gold seeking Virginia settlers(doc f). Furthermore, mostly men migrated to Virginia resulting in a scarcity of women(doc c). Being mostly men in the colony as well as their hunger for riches, the settlers of Virginia …show more content…
Most of the population was made up of discontent males, such as those who were servants or former servants. Governor Berkeley of Virginia found the freemen able to defend Virginia untrustworthy(doc g). Many of those living in the Chesapeake were discontent and angry with their way of life. Nathaniel Bacon and his followers rebelled against Berkeley as his policies favored the aristocracy or “unworthy favorites” (doc h). Rebellion and discontentment led to a lack of unity in the Chesapeake region.
The distinct societies of the Chesapeake and New England region was because of the difference in the founders motives. While Jamestown was founded for profit, the Massachusetts Bay colony was meant by the Puritans to be a model society. While New England was made up of neighborly communities, the Chesapeake had discontented males and a lack of women. Due to differing influences both regions developed into their own societies greatly differing from one