The first half of the seventeenth century prompted social and political polarization for the Chesapeake era.  During this time of evolution, the increased need of indentured servants came about, the growth of tobacco emerged,while government and political conflicts continued to escalate.

This era brought about yeoman, who were farmers that owned a small piece of land to support a family and a few family members.  The families who had higher social status, had larger estates that required the use of more indentured servants.  Indentured servants were typically a white laborer or tradesman who is bonded or contracted to work for another for a specified time.  Servants awaited until their indentures expired so that they would become free and could eventually own land.  Unfortunately, the lifespan of men was short therefore enabling planters to acquire large amounts of income that would allow them to be set apart from the "lower class" planters.  According to The American Promise, "the principal division in Chesapeake society was between rich and poor planters than between free farmers and free servants." (TAP p.70)

Three major developments of opportunity came about during this time.  The first was the increased growth of tobacco.  To cultivate tobacco, planters brought in large numbers of English workers, mostly men who came as indentured servants.  Because of the reduced prices, it impaired the planters profits and made it difficult for freed servants to sustain enough wealth to become land owners.  Tobacco remained the epitome of the Chesapeake colonies and was a great aspect during this era.The success of tobacco cultivation brought about economic prosperity.  The tobacco cultivation provided the Chesapeake colonies their main source of income.  The increase of tobacco production also had its downfalls.  Due to cost instability and the quality of the tobacco, the reduce in prices affected the survival of the colonist as a whole.  This caused a adverse reaction from the colonist as they began to utilize other forms of material to mix with the tobacco to appear as an increase in quantity to make up for their losses.  This bizarre plan backfired and gave the once respectable colonial society a bad reputation.  Secondly, the mortality rate decreased and more servants ulled through their indentured while the free servants who were without land became more scarce and grew more disgruntled.  Lastly, the decline in mortality encouraged the development of noble planters.  The longevity of the noble planters attributed to their rate of success and allowed them to help their neighbors who were in need.
By the 1670's, the society of Chesapeake showed great conflict between the landowners and the landkess colonist.  THe noble planters and the yeoman planters assembled togetherwhile the freed servants gathered among each other.  Both groups viewed the opposed with skepticism and apprehension.  The elite planters saw the landless freeman as a threat rather than an accomplice with legitimate resentment.  Governor William Berkley feared political threat to the governing elite posed by "six parts in seven (of Virginia colonist)... are poor, indebted, discontented, and armed." (TAP p. 70)
Government and politics were the power behind the Chesapeake society.  The separation between servants and masters were of the utmost importance and the government enforced it with "integrity."  Poor men, such as William Tyler, complained that "neither the Governor nor Council could or would do any poor men right, but that they would favor great men and wrong the poor." (TAP p.70)  The colonist assumed that "great men" should take in the responsiblity of government.  Until 1670, freemen could vote an elected elite planter to the legislature.  Tyler and other poor Virginians felt like the government abused their power to promote their likings versus governing unbiased.
As anger and frustration grew among the poor, officials made every attempt to keep the political powers sade.  "In 1670, the House of Burgess outlawed voting by poor men permitting only men who headed a household and were landowners to vote." (TAP p.71) The House of Burgesswas the first colonial legislature where male adult landowners would meet to make laws. (video lecture)
The Navigation Acts of 1650 and 1651 stated that colonial goods could only be transported in "English ships" by "English crews".  A new act in 1663 required products to be sent to English ports and stipulated that all goods sent to the colonies may pass through English ports and be carried by English ships manned by English sailors.  The end result was the assumption of the English government that colonial policy was determined by the satisfaction of England.  The Navigation Act imported taxes on every pound of tobacco brought into England.  These taxes supplied a guarter of all revenue and the flourishing importance of the Chesapeake colonies in England's Atlantic empire. (TAP p.71)