The Northern Colonies were vastly more successful Socially, and politically then economically superior southern colonies, and middle colonies. The southern colonies were an entirely agriculture based economy. With large plantations, fertile land, and massive amount of slave workers the south were far better of economically. The northern colonies were founded mostly as a save haven for people who sought religious freedom. This very tight nit group of puritans created a strong family oriented social life. Politically the northern colonies were the first to have elected governors. .
The northern colonies consisted of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire. These colonies were far more successful socially then there southern counterparts. .
While the Northern colonies were founded by Puritans fleeing England to acquire freedom of religious persecution, founders of the Southern Colonies were, for the most part, out to make money. They brought their families, as did the New England colonists, and they kept their families together on the plantations. But their main motivation was to make the good money that was available in the new American market. The puritans who were family based created an environment where the growth of a family, and there well being was important. The southern colonies along with the middle colonies were often populated by single men who did not marry. These men often kept a large amount of pubs and bars in business. Drunkenness was a problem in Virginia. The education was much better in the Northern colonies, the northern colonies were the first to have advanced schools such as universities or academies. The oldest college in the United States is in Massachusetts. A more secular approach was used in the north. The puritans believed that education was extremely important. While the south only relied on a basic education. The richer families in the south would hire tutors from the northern colonies.