DBQ Example Thesis and 1st Body Paragraph
New England and the Chesapeake diverged in their development due to community characteristics and the demographics of immigrants, varied degrees of economic motives and focuses, as well as differing views on local government and connections to the crown.
The Chesapeake community ties were relatively weak mostly due to how spread out settlement was in the region. As more and more land became needed for agricultural production these distances often became even greater. The number of laborers required for this expansion would lead to growing class divisions within the Chesapeake (Doc 7). Bacon is clearly addressing the inequalities of wealth within Virginia as justification for his rebellion. In New England close knit towns quickly became the norm. In these communities the homes were clustered around the center of town where the church was located. This structure allowed for community members to keep an eye on each other and for religion to be a central component of society. Class inequities were not as readily apparent in New England mostly due to the focus of working towards the communal good (Doc 1). Winthrop intends his plans for a model Christian society to reach the founding members of the Massachusetts Bay colony. Another major factor that differentiated the social structures of the two regions was the people who settled there. New England tended to be settled mostly by family units, whereas the Chesapeake saw a majority of their new arrivals as young males who would become indentured servants (Doc 2&3). This sharp contrast in demographics further widened the differences between the social development of the two areas. An uneven gender ratio and high rate of disease caused population struggles for the Chesapeake. There were several broader historical developments that drove the immigration to British North America. These include competition with other European powers, the concept of mercantilism, a lack of religious freedom in Europe, and decreased economic opportunities. All of these shaped the development of the Chesapeake area and New England.