Colonial House

livincountry · May 18, 2004

Did you watch the premiere of Colonial House on PBS last night?
Great show. I believe the next episode is tonight. I would love to take part in something like that. I really enjoyed watching Frontier House from a few years back. This new one is based on more social interaction.

Here's a truly dumb question: Why did the early settlers stay in the north? Why not settle in a less hostile (longer growing season & warmer winters) environment like Georgia or South Carolina?

Gatorboy · May 18, 2004

( Why did the early settlers stay in the north? Why not settle in a less hostile (longer growing season & warmer winters) environment like Georgia or South Carolina? )

I'm sure there are much better answers, but my initial thought is that it wasn't that easy to just pack up all your belongings, trek south and build another house. Also, people didn't want to move away from their immediate familes.

I see you live in Ohio -- why do you live there instead of the south? Perhaps some of the reasons you live there are still the same as back then.

OkeeDon · May 18, 2004

I spent the first 32 years of my life in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, and the next 32 years of my life in Florida (as I write this, I'm actually two weeks shy of the official halfway point). Like you, that question has occurred to me -- and continues to occur to me to this day. Certainly, more people are pouring into Florida each day, but there are still some people up North! I think there are some people who are proud of adversity. In the case of the early settlers, it may have been that they felt they needed to meet God's challenge of farming rocks.

livincountry · May 18, 2004

Gatorboy, I guess my question revolves more around the initial arrival to colonize the "New World". Their roots were in Europe so they could have settled anywhere. The shortest distance from Europe is straight across the Atlantic which puts them in the northeast US. The series stated that the first settlers arrived in the northeast in the winter. The women and children stayed on the boat for months until the men built cabins for them to live in. Their mortality rate was over 50%. Had they sailed further south life would have been quite a bit easier.

Gatorboy · May 18, 2004

( Had they sailed further south life would have been quite a bit easier. )

Yes, I agree -- but I doubt the early Settlers knew how big North America was, nor how the winter weather would have been better if they sailed south 600 miles or so. When they found land, their trip was done.

gws · May 18, 2004

Our local PBS station showed the 1st and second program last night, 3rd is tonight and final in next week. I wish this was a longer series You cant get much details in just 4 shows. Would love to see a 13 or 26 week. reality series that kept the historical aspects like this series did.

As for why landing in the north vs south. Once go start going south you have to fight the trade winds and the north flow of the sea currents. New england is a straight shot from england.

RobS · May 18, 2004

I saw the first two episodes last night. Yes, very interesting. I didn't realize these people were contracted to come over and be productive eventually sending goods back to the mother land.

As far as South is concerned, they are actually quite a bit further South than their homeland. They may not have known the climate would be so different on opposite sides of the Atlantic /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

bcarter · May 18, 2004

Yes, I agree -- but I doubt the early Settlers knew how big North America was, nor how the winter weather would have been better if they sailed south 600 miles or so. When they found land, their trip was done. 

I'm no history major, but if my memory is correct, they were headed south...to Jamestown Virginia (?) where there was already a settlement. I agee with Gatorboy in that when they hit land their trip was done...they hit in New England so that's where they stayed. I'd guess that they didn't have supplies enough for a return trip...

Boondox · May 18, 2004

This from my wife, the New England historian:

They did.. remember, Jamestown is in VA. But Europeans colonized like this all the way up to Nova Scottia (New Scotland) and Labrador. The initial investments were more of a trading nature... corn was a side benefit. Iron goods for furs. And furs are in the north. Also, New England's weather has a lot in common with the weather in England... Maine mirrors Scotland, MA mirrors the lowlands... and water all around, which would seem somewhat familiar. Then, you have that Puritan, religious, aspect to the whole thing, which is where you get that 'if everything is going well something must be wrong' quirk of the New England personality.

Maine, even in the early 1600's, must have been advertised as the land of milk and honey, and it probably was by comparison to what they left behind in England. What they don't discuss is that most of the indentured servants would have left behind hovels and starvation. The "Freemen" would have left behind a pretty rigid class system which didn't allow for much upward mobility. Crowding and lack of sanitation would have made the cities filthy and riddled with disease... even with a few quirks (they really didn't explore the issue of costal Maine spring mosquitos which are supposed to be something awful) the promise of your own farm, your own business, and a whole new world must have seemed really attractive. Even after your first winter and the possibility of simply going home on the next supply ship. Although, 10 weeks in the open ocean air would be enough to discourage anyone from going back to England!

Boondox · May 18, 2004

OkeeDon -- As an escapee from California now living in Vermont, I can offer another reason why folks stay here. Challenging weather is a powerful force in the battle against urban sprawl, and when it happens in places like this it all tends to happen in one or two cities like Burlington.

Pete