Differences Between Colonies

Differences between colonies: Religious: The Pilgrims who settled at Plymouth were "Puritans" vs. Anglicans at Jamestown. Plus, Plymouth was founded for religious reasons while Jamestown was founded for economic reasons. Don't get me wrong--religion was critical for both groups but the Puritans left England because they were religious outcasts while the settlers at Jamestown were there for economic benefit and had investors. Labor: Jamestown was initially settled under martial law and the military played a significant role (especially in terms of governance) within the colony while the military presence for Plymouth was more of militia and didn't grow until the colony spread beyond Plymouth. Social: More swamps, longer warm-weather seasons meant more mosquitoes in Virginia. The English settlers there came primarily from swampy areas of the UK and had been exposed to malaria previously. New research on the settlement suggests that one reason the settlers weren't attacked and anhiliated by Indians (and why their numbers retreated back into the forests) was the sudden onset of malaria (a disease that did not exist in this part of the New World prior to the appearance of the English). But the settlers in Plymouth came to an area that had been devastated by disease earlier (thus wiping out most of the indigenous peoples). Life was hard for both colonies. But the puritans in Plymouth were more of a culture of cooperation and sharing which helped ease relations with the Indians and allowed them to weather the longer winters in NE better than the more mercenary nature of the Jamestown settlers.

French Indian War: The conflict was first a world war. England did not focus all it;s might on the war and left much of the fighting to the colonists. This taught the Americans that the mother country wasn't always going to be there to save them. Communication between America and England was at the pace of a sailing ship. One could send a message but months could pass before an