Compare and Contrast Massachusetts and Virginia

Economics and Politics

Both the economics and politics greatly differed between

Massachusetts and Virginia between 1607 and 1750. The differences in the

percentage of classes were unbelievably large and their entire economic

structure differed from each other. Virginia had more risky culture and

economics where-as Massachusetts had a more stable economy.

The economy of Virginia was based solely on the production of

tobacco. The plantation owners had to buy slaves to work the fields so the

slave trade industry in Virginia was also a huge factor. The plantation

owners were in the very rich, elite category and pretty much ran the

politics. Virginia had a ridiculously small middle class and they barely

had any say in the elections. The poor classes of Virginia were about 80%

of the population and were not even allowed to vote. This made the

state/colony of Virginia a very un-democratic and un-representative. There

was very little cash flow in Virginia because the elite plantation owners

flaunted their wealth as a display of power. This was necessar y because

this display of power kept the slaves and poor people of the community

from revolting. The economy of Virginia was ver y fragile and brittle. All

it would have taken was one drought or one bad tobacco year and Virginia

would have been severely hurt economically.

 The Northern colonies, especially Massachusetts, were much more

stable. There was a larger middle class of 65% and there was much more

representation in politics in Massachusetts. The economy was much more

stable because it didn’t only rely on one form of income. Because there

were many harbors in Massachusetts there were more towns which led to

the need of new professions. There included Blacksmiths, Clothing

makers, Merchants, and sailors. There was also much more cash flow in

Massachusetts because there was no need to flaunt wealth and a much

larger middle class. Another reason for the greater amounts of cash flow

was that the people that lived in Massachusetts were mostly Puritan. The

Puritans believed that you should not show your wealth because it was

temptation and temptation was a sin. The Puritans were extremely hard-

working and that is one of the main reasons the Northern colonies were so

successful.

The Northern colonies and the Southern colonies differed in many

ways but both succeeded in the long run. They may have had different

views and completely different economies but both sides will play their

own part in the revolution and eventually become one countr y. The Untied

States of America.