Part B #2

In the time period of 1607 to 1750 Massachusetts and Virginia were two of the most powerful political colonies in America. Massachusetts has a stronger developing economy which pushed politics ahead faster than Virginia. Massachusetts had more products coming from them, than Virginia. However, Virgina used slaves in their fields to harvest, which saved money, which helped their economy. Massachusetts colonists did have slaves, but they were used more in Virginia

In Massachusetts there were many sources of income for the colony; fishing, shipbuilding, lumbering and fur trade. Virginia, however, had an income coming only from their tobacco. The tobacco was used as a cash crop, meaning farmers could grow lots of the tobacco and sell it for money, rather than keeping it for their own use. Both of the colonies used the concept behind cash crops, but Massachusetts didn’t exactly have many crops for commercial use. The concept was mercantilism, colonists would trade their products with others with for products they needed or money.

Virginia did have fewer economic developments than Massachusetts, which is understandable why they also had fewer political advancements. Virgina was known in the economic world mostly for their slaves, plantations and tobacco. They made less money than Massachusetts which was a given, since they had less economic developments, which meant less funding, and less power. Massachusetts, however, had more economic developments such as joint stock companies, which was a company which the goods were owned by both shareholders, triangular trade and the many products which they produced. This heavy income lead to a higher ability to gain power in the political world.

Since most of the colonies were self-governed, Massachusetts and Virginia had two different methods of controlling their colonies. In Virginia there was a small group of leaders directing the colony, Massachusetts, which at the time was mostly made up of Puritans, used a theocratic system, meaning priests ruled. For unexpected troubles Virginia used the House of Burgesses, while in Massachusetts used a court of law.

In conclusion economic development affects the politics by deciding how much money each government has to run their people, without running into a wall. If there is no economic development it also means there most likely wouldn’t be much development in the political sense either. In Virginia there wasn’t much economic development, and the political aspect of their colony didn’t change much over 140 years or so. However, in Massachusetts there was a strong developing economy which was also reflected in their political system, which improved steadily through the years.