The Success of the Massachusetts Bay Colony Essay -- American History,

In the 1600s, two colonies were establishing themselves on the east coast of North America. In 1607, a gathering of merchants, known as the Virginia Company, settled at Jamestown, Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay (Divine, 72) while Puritan leader John Winthrop, stationed himself and his followers at mum Bay in 1630. (Divine, 90) Although both settlements started off relatively the same, the greater success of one over the other has caused continuous debates between many, including the descendants of these early Americans. Some might debate that the Virginia settlement was more successful than the Massachusetts Bay Colony because of the Virginia colonists motivation and interest in profit (Divine, 76). However, when efforts for income proven futile, this and survival became the colonys only interests. Therefore, Massachusetts proved itself to be the stronger colony and the most successful, as a result of its community development and social advancement, its economic growth, and the positive influence the government had on the Massachusetts Colony. Instead of having scattered villages like the Virginia colony, the large number of the Massachusetts Bay Colony organized communities that were small and built close together. These centers were built so that villagers were able to make out a wide range of duties such as cultivating land or fetching lumber from forests (Divine, 94). This system was especially efficient for finishing these important tasks and allowing time for other agendas that were important to the colonists. The setup of the town was not just efficient. Families were able to live close together which helped create a sense of community among the people. Taverns and meetinghouses were usually built in town, giving the ... ...ve in Virginia did not mean immigrants were free from its rule. Upon departing England, those leaving would take an oath of allegiance and supremacy (Virginia Ships List). This meant that the people owed their loyalty to th e monarch of England, not to Virginia itself. The colonists of Virginia could have been frustrated that their head official was chosen by a single person, a person who had no dedicate within their community. In fact, Berkeley, the governor the monarch of England elected, brought high taxes on the people, increased his power at the expense of local officials and created a monopoly on Indian administer (Divine, 85). This abuse of power is possibly one of the causes of rebellions, specifically Bacons rebellion. This republic government leading the Virginia Colony was an increasingly stark contrast to the Massachusetts Colonys democratic government.