The United States of America is the land of freedom. Most people are familiar with the fifty state land, which stretches from Alaska up to Wyoming. They may not know, however, how it came into being. Virginia and Massachusetts, among other colonies, were founded in the thirteenth century. The two states have both experienced religious conflicts, wars and struggled to be able to worship Jesus Christ, the lord of all and Savior. Massachusetts was found in 1620. William Bradford led the pilgrims to discover it. Massachusetts had mild summers and harsh winters. During the colony’s early years, there were many different jobs available, from farming crops and raising livestock to working in shops or mailing. During the Anglican period the king ruled the Church. Not everyone was pleased with the practices of the Church. Therefore, Puritans were formed to simplify church services, and to abolish the authority ranks. Another group of separatists called puritans wanted to completely “separate themselves” from the English churches and be able organize their own gatherings. The king, upon learning of the separation, began to jail and even execute separatists. As a result, the remaining puritans moved to Holland where they could practice their religion in freedom. During 1621, several separatists embarked on a arduous journey across America, eventually landing in Plymouth. The Wampanoag taught the separatists to grow crops, capture animals, and catch fishing. These American Indians helped the Pilgrims survive their first winter. Without them, they may have perished in the blizzards or hurricanes. The Wampanoag were invited to a Thanksgiving feast, a three day celebration of the first harvest as a way to show their gratitude. Virginia, one of 13 original colonies, is still celebrated by Americans every November. Virginia is also a southern colony like Maryland or Georgia. Winters in Virginia were milder than those of Maryland and Georgia. Summers on the other hand, were hotter and more humid. Georgia is the place where most peaches are grown, while Maryland is home to Krabs. But many people do not know that Virginia, or Jamestown, was North America’s first successful English settlement. Virginia began to prosper and grow quickly, bringing in a larger number of citizens. Virginia’s location in the south colonies and its hot climate allowed it to grow “Cash Crops” like tobacco. Virginia’s entire economy was built on tobacco. Because tobacco requires so much land and labor, they turned Indians to slaves. The colonists not only made them sick and infected, but they were also not accustomed to farming. The colonists had to look for a different way to support the Virginia colonists who were still raising cash crops such as tobacco. Virginia elected a House of Burgesses assembly in 1619. In 1661, Virginia’s House of Burgesses passed legislation that permanently enslaved African workers. Virginia’s slave population grew to more than 16000 Africans by 1700. This was more than one quarter of its total population. Slavery was a daily life for Virginians, while it brought suffering to the African people. As previously stated, Virginia and Massachusets both had their share of settlers who moved to America. The land they settled in would later be the home of fifty states, with a population of 329,690,3000,728 residents. Virginia and Massachusetts are two colonies that both played a role in the development of the United States of America. The American Revolutionary war, Boston Tea Party and thanksgiving feasts with Wampanoag were all a part of this.
