Geography Was the Primary Factor in Shaping the Development of the British Colonies in North America

Throughout the course of human history, geography has always played an essential role in the migration and development of various civilizations. It influenced the way people lived, the food they ate, and their entire life. For some colonies, the geography was perfect to live in, while others had to endure harsh conditions. When the Quakers first arrived to Pennsylvania, they were able to establish a successful colony through hard work, but their geography was what determined the success.

The warm climate and fertile soil made it an excellent place to grow wheat, bread, and other profitable crops to supply more than enough for everyone. The Middle Colonies (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware) did not only have fertile land, but they also had rivers and the sea for hunting fish and establishing ports. The ports made it accessible for the Middle Colonies to easily trade goods with Great Britain and other colonies, enticing foreigners such as the Germans and Scots Irish to settle down.

On the other hand, the New England Colonies did not fare off as well as the Middle Colonies did, since the land wasn’t as fertile and the colonies was located on a rocky region, making it hard for plants to grow. When Jamestown was first established, the colonists faced a very difficult time because they were unprepared for the cold weather and lacked food to survive through the harsh climates. However, they were able to prevail and utilized the sea and abundance of trees, and eventually grew tobacco to become rich and successful.

While geography played a significant factor in the development of colonies, one should also consider the influence of religion. People that wanted to escape religious persecution from the Anglican Church established colonies and soon, people flooded into the Americas. However, within these religious communities were those that had their own beliefs, and these people created their own colonies. For example, Roger Williams and Thomas Hooker had differentiating views of how the community should be run, and they were banished.

Despite this banishment, Roger Williams eventually established Rhode Island, where he allowed complete religious tolerance and Thomas Hooker created Connecticut for much more lenient voting right requirements. Geography surely was a primary factor in the development of British colonies in North America as it determined the success or failure of the colonies, but religion also greatly influenced the development of the British colonies.