The Dutch and the Swedish were the first to settle in the middle colonies. Later the Dutch colonies became New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. There were many nation as people here including: Scotts-Irish, English Quakers, Germans, Welsh, and French Colonists. Germans built an efficient wood burning stove that others copied. The Quakers and Dutch believed in toleration religion. Quakers welcomed Germans and protestants as there people multiplied. Farmers and other people lived in very small houses farmers usually about ten to twenty miles out of town. The farms were very big; they stretched from the suburbs all the way to the seacoast. Farmers gathered: wheat, barley, rye, and other grains and fruits. Manufacturing was a very big industry; they made-clocks, watches, guns, locks, cloth, and hats. They owned large plantations small lands and farms. Most of them lived in small villages or on grand plantations. they had many cash crops for trade and sell. Cash crop- grown to be sold. The idle colonists grew so much bread it became known as the “bread basket colony.” Benjamin Franklin born and raised in the middle colonies was a well known resident. many workers would be in the press by this they had “freedom of the press.” The middle colony had a fire department and a public library thanks to Benjamin Franklin. African-Americans and woman could not attend college even though there were very little colleges and schools.
