How Did Virginia and Massachusetts Differ in Terms of Society and Economy?

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Virginia and Massachusetts both have long history. Although the societies and economies of Virginia and Massachusetts had similarities, there were many differences between the two colonies. During the early 17th century many English settlers made the journey across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. The majority of these settlers were motivated by gold, glory, or God. In 1607, Jamestown was established. It was the first permanent English settlement in North America and was also located in present day Virginia. In Massachusetts, Plymouth was the first town in New England, founded in 1620. The Colony of Virginia was founded mainly for economic purposes. Virginia was a royal colony, meaning that it was controlled directly by the authority of King James I. Many of the first settlers were hopeful to find gold and gain fortune. But they soon realized that there was no gold. By this time, nearly 2/3 of the original colonists had died due to starvation and disease. Many of the ill-prepared colonists didn’t know how to farm or hunt because they were townsmen or gentlemen. Luckily the local friendly Indians taught them how to survive by planting maize. In 1609, two years after Jamestown was established, the Virginia Company dispatched more colonists to help the colony. The colony limped along for several years. The Colony’s only source of revenue came from selling land. But colonists soon turned toward agriculture for revenue. They discovered growing tobacco would be highly profitable. In the early 17th century, smoking tobacco became popular in Europe, giving the Virginia Colony a lucrative trade with Europeans. But big planters owned much of the plantations, with the majority of people working for them, keeping most of the wealth made from the tobacco trade with these elite planters. Many of the people that worked on these plantations often

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