The Settling of the Delaware Colony
The Delaware Colony was classified to be as one of the Middle Colonies, and was founded in 1664 by Peter Minuit and the New Sweden Company. Delaware was founded because of the trade and agriculture opportunity that the state showed. Also, because the soil was fertile they had "thriving forests for manufacturing and much lumber." The Delaware Colony was first governed by the Duke of York. Under the Duke people were allowed some self-government, and the laws were the same as New York's. Delaware was one of the three from the thirteen colonies, who were proprietary colonies. Unfortunately, Delaware was not able to run as a self-govern proprietary colony. Delaware had proprietors that maintained full governing rights over the colony, with Pennsylvania and Maryland. So, technically the land was owned by the proprietor not the king, although the monarch had to approve proprietor. Delaware's proprietor was William Penn, who was rewarded the position by King Charles ll. Penn was responsible for all the details of the colony, including leveling taxes, managing towns and cities, and even looking after the religions. |
JobsEveryone in the Delaware Colony had a job, and each one helped out in every way. Since farming was very critical, farming was a very common job. Farmers supplied the local population with food and revenue, and exported the rest of their crops if they didn't need it. The farmers cropped wheat, barley, Indian corn, and peas. They also raised livestock such as pigs, goats, and cattle for meat and milk. During the winter, citizens served as traders, exchanging products from Native Americans. Women crafted and sold woven woolen cloth items; the products were considered with currency helping families purchase winter necessities. Citizens also worked for paper mills, grist mills, and port-side shipbuilding factories. In addition, citizens constructed canoes, traded vessels, yachts and barges. Native Delaware citizens also traded with other colonial territories.
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Daily Life Daily life in the Delaware Colony was usually working, education, and practicing your religion. The men were usually farming; and the women usually did the housework, cooking, and taking care of the children. Women would also be making household items such as soup or candles; or do the milking, look after the poultry, and make their own medicine. The children would usually be in school. The Delaware citizens did not really have time to "play" because they mostly worked. However, when they did have the time, the men and boys had foot races and shooting contest. Women and girls did eating socials, sewing or quilting. Literature and reading were also apart of the Delaware Colonist's free time.
The citizens in the Delaware Colony usually wore linen clothes, or wool clothes for the Winter. Men would wear linen or wool shirts, overcoats, and breeches. The women would wear long linen or wool dresses, petticoats, aprons, hooded cloaks. In addition, women were the ones who would make all of the clothes with spinning wheels. The houses that the Delaware citizens lived in usually depended on how wealthy you are, but the first houses were log cabins built with Timber. The log houses were built based on the Swedish style of building, with a rectangular shape, and the average size was 16 feet long and 14 feet wide. In the Middle Colonies there were many farming communities, so farming houses were also built. As people became wealthier mansions were beginning to built. |
ReligionDelaware did not have one specific religion. Delaware stated that there wasn't a specific you needed to be apart of. However, whoever wanted to serve in the government needed to believe in Jesus Christ. The first settlers were settled by Scandinavian Lutherans and Dutch Reformed. There were also small communities of Roman Catholics and Jews. There were also English Quakers and Welsh Baptists.
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