Ma & Va Case

Prompt: Compare and contrast the ways in which economic development affected politics in Massachusetts and Virginia in the period from 1607-1750.

The Puritans in Massachusetts and single men of Virginia were part of the reasons for economical development. In relation to economical development, politics in these two states were affected politically due to the type of government these states ran by.

In Massachusetts, the government they had was loose. It was ruled by leaders that the people of the state voted for. The government was highly influenced by the Puritans which meant that the leaders were priests. They believed in joint stock marketing, and the economy flourished through merchant trading. The families in Massachusetts migrated to this colony which benefited the economy with mostly wealth. Due to the joint stock marketing, it gave reason for Massachusetts to gain power politically due to the heavy income. The sources for income in this state were through fishing, ship building, lumbering, and fur trade. The colonists in Massachusetts based their economy off of mercantilism rather than commercial crops.

In comparison, Virginia's economic development was slow because of the single men that migrated there. They were searching for gold, but there none to be found. The government was the House of Burgesses and it was elected by popular vote. Unlike Massachusetts, Virginia's economy developed commercially. They grew and sold tobacco, and everyone on the land became wealthy through commercial crops. Because there was no gold in Virginia, they had a harder time developing economically. Politically, landowners had an advantage of selling tobacco.

Both Virginia and Massachusetts flourish economically and politically after a few years. Settlers both migrated to this place hoping that America would be easier to develop economically through mercantilism and commercial crops. Virginia and Massachusetts became social structures that were produced by colonialism.

In conclusion, economic development affected politics in these two states because the government had to decide how to run their land and also had to decide how they want to earn their money. While Massachusetts flourished economically, Virginia still took time to become steady politically and economically.