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Difficulty: MediumNew England Colonies

"Whereas we all came into these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel in purity with peace; and whereas in our settling (by a wise providence of God) we are further dispersed upon the sea coasts and rivers than was at first intended, so that we cannot according to our desire with convenience meet in one government and jurisdiction... we therefore... do conceive it our bounden duty... to enter into a present Consociation amongst ourselves, for mutual help and strength in all our future concernments..."

— Articles of Confederation of the United Colonies of New England, 1643

The excerpt best reflects which of the following characteristics of the seventeenth-century New England colonies?

  1. A
    The development of a cash-crop economy centered on plantations with short life expectancies.
  2. B
    The strict enforcement of imperial mercantilist policies by the British Crown to coordinate trade.
  3. The establishment of regional alliances based on shared religious ideology and mutual defense.Answer
  4. D
    The transition from indentured servitude to hereditary chattel slavery as the primary source of labor.

Answer

The establishment of regional alliances based on shared religious ideology and mutual defense.
The correct answer is correct because the excerpt outlines the creation of the New England Confederation in 1643, which was formed by Puritan colonies to coordinate defense against Native Americans and European rivals while preserving their shared religious mission ('to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the stated motivations of the colonies.
The text states that the colonies share the same aim to 'advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ' and seek a 'Consociation' for 'mutual help and strength.'
This establishes the religious and defensive goals of the colonial union.
2
Contextualize the document within the history of the New England region in the seventeenth century.
The document represents the creation of the New England Confederation in 1643, a mutual defense alliance among Puritan colonies.
This links the primary source to the correct historical event and regional characteristics.
3
Evaluate the options and eliminate those describing other regions or imperial policies.
Options relating to plantation cash crops, British mercantilist enforcement, and the transition to chattel slavery are eliminated because they describe either the Chesapeake/Southern colonies or top-down imperial actions.
This confirms the correct option as the one uniquely describing New England's cooperative, faith-based regional governance.

Key Concept

Puritan governance, regional organization, and the establishment of defensive confederations in New England.
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Topics

New England Colonies

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