New England Vs. Chesapeake

5 Pages 1176 Words

People from England settled both in the New England region and the Chesapeake region, yet the two regions became very different and independent from one another. You would think that since they were basically the same people that the colonies would be similar but they were far from it. The people settling New England were fleeing England’s religious persecution, it was a refuge for religious separatists leaving England, and was composed of many close and religious towns with large families. The Chesapeake region; however, was composed mainly by the aristocratic men of England who wanted wealth more than anything. These were widely spread out with small families, who spent most of their time obtaining wealth. In this essay I will explain how each region began and discuss the democratic differences in each region.
John Winthrop, the leader of the Puritans in New England, states that the colonies goal was to form “a city upon a hill”, which is like saying a “pure” community, where Christianity would be pursued in the most correct manner. Puritans believed that church and government should work together to promote holiness and help people succeed both materially and spiritually. The local government was controlled by the same people who controlled the church and the bible was the basis for all the laws and regulations. From the Article of Agreement, Springfield, Massachusetts it is clear that religion was the basis for general laws. It uses the phrase, “being by God’s providence engaged together to make a plantation” showing that everything was done by God’s work. John Winthrop wanted the New England colony to become the model for the rest of the world, to work together and create a utopian society “so shall we keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace… we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill.” The government for the colonists in New England was theocracy, which is controlled by...