How Did Geography Influence The Development Of The Colonies

The 17th century was the colonial era when the British settled in North America. These colonies are categorized into three groups- New England, Middle, and Southern. Although economy and religion had importance, geography was the primary factor in shaping the development of the British colonies. Although the separatists came to North America for religious reasons, it was not the reason for New England’s development and prosperity. Geography is the primary factor because economic activities and trade were all dependent of the environment in which the colonists lived. Its cold climate, thick forest, and poor rocky soil made the land unsuitable for crops. Therefore, they had to rely on the natural resources they had. The towns along the coast
New York was founded at the mouth of the Hudson River and Philadelphia on the Delaware River. This is important because it created the perfect location for trade. It proves geography to be the primary factor because if the colonies were not founded along the coast they would not have been able to create the profitable trading posts that they had, which would then lead to lack of economic success. Pennsylvania had fertile soil and a mild climate well suited for farming and agriculture. They had raw materials such as timbers, fur, and coal, but most importantly, iron ore. This is significant to proving geography as the primary factor because not only could they take advantage of New York and New Jersey’s location at ports to export their agricultural products, but they could also manufacture their own iron products such as plows, locks, and nails, and export them to England. If it were not for the geography of where they settled, they would not have been able to create such a large business, making it the primary factor in the development of the Middle Colonies. The close second is economy. New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware were developed into profitable trading centers. The excellent harbors along the coasts of the Middle Colonies were ideal sites for cities. This was the perfect place for merchants to export cash crops, especially grain, and imported manufactured goods. This trade was important to the development of the Middle Colonies because it resulted in Philadelphia becoming the fastest growing city in the colonies. The city’s wealth brought public improvements such as Philadelphia’s statehouse (Independence Hall) and streetlights along paved roads. New York also attained its rapid growth from trading. Its busy port handled numerous products including flour, bread, furs, and whale oil. Not only did their trade ports create large profit and advancement in cities,