Question

In your own words, contrast the relative difficulty in establishing the colonies of Jamestown and Plymouth with the relative ease of the establishment of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Include issues of religion, family, motivation and experience.

Answer 1

Jamestown in Virginia and Plymouth in Massachusetts were colonised by English and were operated under a version of Christianity where religion played a minor role in politics and economy. Reasons for establishment of both Colonies were different:
Jamestown was colonised to claim plantations, land and riches while Plymouth was colonised by those who were escaping religious persecution. This had the influence in social design as religion practised in Jamestown was traditionally Anglican while in that of Plymouth religious tolerance was the rule and was practiced by the Quakers.

Social setup of the colonies differed as society in Jamestown was Biracial and stratified while society of Plymouth was diverse, heterogeneous based on English tradition and cultures. Both the colonies differed from Massachusetts Bay Colony which had homogeneous society based upon the idea of perfect and godly religious community. Also, here religion was strictly Calvinist which dictated political, economic, and social lives of colonists.

Economy of Jamestown was plantation based that relied on single-crops, mainly tobacco and rice. Growth of these large plantations in Jamestown led to reliance upon slavery whereas small businesses mushroomed in Plymouth relied upon indentured servants. These small businesses included small farmers, craftsmen, and merchants. Labor system in Massachusetts Bay Colony was different as family-run businesses and family-operated farms did not require servants or slaves.

In Jamestown wealthy elite living on large and small plantations ruled at county level. While in case of Plymouth people lived in small, dispersed settlements that encouraged the growth of county government. In Massachusetts Bay Colony people lived in close-knit, clustered villages or towns which led to town rule.

All this resulted in difficulty in establishing the colonies of Jamestown and Plymouth whereas it was relatively easy to establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Both Plymouth and Jamestown suffered from setbacks which included diseases, starvation, and conflicts with the Natives as a result.