Middle Colonies
Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
Delaware
The Delaware Colony was founded in 1638 by Peter MInuit. The reason for the establishment of Delaware was for trade, profits and agricultural opportunity the colony presented. The colony made its money by mixed farming. This colony is often referred as a breadbasket colony because it grew many crops, especially wheat. Delaware was governed as a Proprietary colony. When this colony was established, it started off with around 200 colonists. Native tribes that inhabited the Delaware colony were the Leanpe (the Delawares) and Nanticoke tribe. There were no religious groups that inhabited the colony. In 1655, the Dutch defeat the Swedes on the Delaware, ending the New Sweden colony. Delaware became part of New Netherlands.
New York
The New York colony was founded in 1664 by Duke York and Peter Minuit. The reason for the establishment of the colony was trade and profit. New York colonists made their money by fur trading. New York was a Proprietary Colony. When this colony was established, it started off with around 5,500 colonists. Native groups that inhabited the area were the Oneida, Seneca, Mohawk, Iroquois and more. The colonists did have some conflicts with the Indians, especially the Iroquois. New York did not have an established religion.
New Jersey
The New Jersey colony was founded in 1664 by Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. The reason for the establishment of the colony was for trade and profits. New Jersey colonists made their money by mixed farming. New Jersey was governed a Proprietary colony. When the colony was first established, it started off with around 1,000 colonists. Native tribes that inhabited the New Jersey colony were the Munsee, Unami, Unalachtigo, and Lenni-Lenape. The English colonists did have some trouble with Lenni-Lenape tribe. New Jersey did not have an established religion, which gave way to religious freedom. In 1676, the colony was divided between Carteret and a company of English Quakers who had secured the rights belonging to Lord Berkeley.
Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania colony was founded in 1682 by William Penn. The reasons for the establishment of this colony was for trade, profits and religious freedom for Quakers. Penn wanted to establish a colony where he could protect himself and fellow Quakers from persecution. This colony made its money by mixed farming, especially wheat. Pennsylvania was governed as a Proprietary colony. When this colony was established, it started with around 700 colonists. Indian tribes that inhabited the Pennsylvania colony were the Erie, Huron, Iroquois, Leni-Lenape, Munsee and others. Penn made a treaty with the Leni-Lenape to purchase his grant of land from them, even though he didn't have to do that because there was no law that said so. He treated the Indians fairly. In the Pennsylvania colony, Quaker was the established religion. Pennsylvania's first constitution, The Frame of Government, was drafted in April 1682 providing for an upper house and lower house of the legislature. Penn allowed for a representative assembly elected by landowners.