What was the dominant religion in the Middle Colonies?

Answer 1

The four Middle Atlantic colonies of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware were ethnically and religiously diverse There was no single dominant religion as in New England (Puritanism) or the Southern Colonies (the Anglican Church).

The largest religious groups in the Middle Colonies were Dutch Reformed and Anglicans in all four of the colonies, Lutherans in southern New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware, and Quakers in Pennsylvania. However, there were many other Protestant sects, including Presbyterians, Mennonites from Germany and Switzerland, French Huguenots, German Baptists, and others, as well as a few Roman Catholics and Portuguese Jews, and of course African-Americans and Native Americans.

The colony of New York was first settled by the Dutch and then taken over by English Anglicans in 1664. Both the Dutch and the English colonial governments consistently tolerated all Protestant religions and to some extent also extended tolerance to Catholics and Jews. Western NY State was settled by Germans (largely Lutheran), French Huguenots and Moravians from Bohemia joined the Dutch in lower New York State, and eastern Long Island was settled by English Congregationalists migrating from New England. New York City was home to many nationalities and religions, including Catholics and Jews.

Southern New Jersey was first settled by Swedish Lutherans. They were conquered by the Dutch, who had been the first to settle Northern New Jersey. When the English took possession of New York, they took also all of New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Here too the English were tolerant of different religions. Among the groups attracted to New Jersey were Puritans and Quakers.

Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a sanctuary not only for Quakers but for all religions. His policy of welcoming all drew to Pennsylvania other persecuted sects such as the Amish, Mennonites and Moravians, as well as large numbers of German Reformed, Lutherans, Anglicans, and Presbyterians and small communities of Roman Catholics and Jews.

Delaware was first settled in part by Swedish and Finnish Lutherans and in part by the Dutch. It too was taken over by English Anglicans in 1664, and English Quakers and Welsh Baptists were added to the mix early in its history.