17th & 18th 17th & 18th Century Century

Colonial LifeColonial Life

GPERSIA• G = Geography: impact of land, flora fauna,

environment• P = Political: leaders, laws, political parties,

revolutions, judicial rulings, foreign policy, rights• E = Economic: Jobs, economic policies, and theories,

agriculture, industry, labor, trade, currency, taxes & tariffs

• R = Religion: groups, people, beliefs and its influence• S = Social: Family, gender roles, children, social

classes, ethnic groups, population movements, education

• I = Intellectual: Science, philosophy, technology, intellectual movements

• A = Arts: Music, literature, painting, fashion, architecture, film, dance.

Political StructurePolitical Structure• All colonies had bicameral legislatures (2 Houses)All colonies had bicameral legislatures (2 Houses)• Lower House ElectedLower House Elected

– Voted on taxation (with representation)Voted on taxation (with representation)

• Governors/Upper Houses chosen differentlyGovernors/Upper Houses chosen differently– 8 Royal colonies chosen by the crown8 Royal colonies chosen by the crown– 3 Proprietary (MD, PA, DE) appointed by proprietors3 Proprietary (MD, PA, DE) appointed by proprietors– 2 (CT, RI) had elected governors2 (CT, RI) had elected governors

• Local Government most important to peopleLocal Government most important to people– New England: Town meetingsNew England: Town meetings– South: Sheriff/county administratorsSouth: Sheriff/county administrators

PP

Mercantilism• Limited wealth in the world - empires must compete Limited wealth in the world - empires must compete

through favorable balance of trade = export through favorable balance of trade = export manufactured goods, import wealth (gold/silver)manufactured goods, import wealth (gold/silver)

• Colonies exist to benefit the mother country through Colonies exist to benefit the mother country through raw materials and marketsraw materials and markets

• Highly government regulated economyHighly government regulated economy““Navigation Acts” (1650-1673)Navigation Acts” (1650-1673)• Trade only on English or colonial-built shipsTrade only on English or colonial-built ships• All goods imported to colonies must first travel to All goods imported to colonies must first travel to

English portsEnglish ports• Specified goods (tobacco) from colonies could only be Specified goods (tobacco) from colonies could only be

exported to England (eventually includes most goods)exported to England (eventually includes most goods)

EE

Colonial Effects of Mercantilism

POSITIVES

• N.E. shipbuilding prospers

• Tobacco monopoly in England

• Protection of British military forces

NEGATIVES• Limited

Manufacturing• Chesapeake farmers

get low prices for crops

• High prices on manufactured goods from England

British government often lax in enforcement, corruption and smuggling was rampant.

EE

The Great AwakeningThe Great Awakening• Movement of fervent Movement of fervent

expressions of religious expressions of religious feeling among masses of feeling among masses of peoplepeople

• Strongest in the 1730s and Strongest in the 1730s and 1740s1740s

• Initiated by Jonathan Initiated by Jonathan Edwards of MA Edwards of MA

• ““Sinners in the Hands of Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God” An Angry God”

• God is angry with God is angry with sinfulness, express sinfulness, express penitence or face penitence or face eternal damnationeternal damnation

• Expanded by George Expanded by George WhitefieldWhitefield– all over colonies in barns, all over colonies in barns,

tents, fieldstents, fields– audiences up to 10,000audiences up to 10,000

• God is all-powerful, save God is all-powerful, save only those who openly state only those who openly state belief in Jesus, send belief in Jesus, send everyone else to helleveryone else to hell

• Ordinary people with Ordinary people with sincere faith didn’t need sincere faith didn’t need ministersministers

RR

Effects of the Great Awakening

RELIGION• Emotionalism common in

services• Ministers lose authority among

people who now study bible at home

• New Lights (supporters):– Baptists, Methodists

• Old Lights -(anti) traditionalists - ministers needed to interpret The Bible

• Causes diversity of sects & competition

POLITICS• Affects all classes and

sections• Experience shared by all

American colonists• Changes how people

view authority in general• Long-term drive to

expand democracy

RR

The Institution of Slavery

• Increased demand for slavesIncreased demand for slaves 1.1. Less migration from England—wages increasing thereLess migration from England—wages increasing there

2.2. Dependable work force—large landowners disturbed Dependable work force—large landowners disturbed by political demands of small farmers & indentured by political demands of small farmers & indentured servants.servants.

3.3. Cheap labor—tobacco prices fall, need large numbers Cheap labor—tobacco prices fall, need large numbers of unskilled workers for rice & indigoof unskilled workers for rice & indigo

• Effect on population:Effect on population:– By 1750: 50% of Virginia, 66% of South Carolina By 1750: 50% of Virginia, 66% of South Carolina

populations are slavespopulations are slaves

SS

The Atlantic Slave TradeThe Atlantic Slave TradeThe Atlantic Slave TradeThe Atlantic Slave TradeSS

The “Middle Passage”The “Middle Passage”The “Middle Passage”The “Middle Passage”SS

Beginning in 1662 Beginning in 1662 “Slave Codes”“Slave Codes”

Made blacks (and their children)Made blacks (and their children)property, or property, or chattelchattel for life of white for life of white masters.masters.

In some colonies, it was a crime to teach In some colonies, it was a crime to teach a slave to read or write.a slave to read or write.

Conversion to Conversion to Christianity did Christianity did not qualify the not qualify the slave for slave for freedom.freedom.

The overall affect—blacks become social The overall affect—blacks become social inferiors, racism & slavery become an integral inferiors, racism & slavery become an integral part of colonial societypart of colonial society

Colonial SlaveryColonial SlaveryColonial SlaveryColonial SlaverySS

Stono Rebellion• 1739 in South

Carolina – 20 slaves revolted from one plantation

• Joined by 80 slaves

• Militia battle – 50 slaves and 25 whites killed

• Largest slave revolt during the colonial era

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Colonial Education

New EnglandNew England First tax-supported schools

Required primary school for boys, college prep in large towns

MiddleMiddle Church-sponsored or private

Teachers often lived with students’ families

SouthernSouthern Parents gave education

Tutors on large plantations

SS

The Colonial Press• Primary means of communication in the colonies, Primary means of communication in the colonies,

along with postal servicealong with postal service• 1725—5 newspapers1725—5 newspapers• 1776—40 newspapers1776—40 newspapers• Typically includedTypically included

– European news (1 month late)European news (1 month late)– Ads for goods, services, return of runaway slavesAds for goods, services, return of runaway slaves

• Essays giving advice for better livingEssays giving advice for better living• Few illustrationsFew illustrations• First cartoon in First cartoon in Philadelphia GazettePhiladelphia Gazette by editor Ben by editor Ben

FranklinFranklin

II

The Zenger Case• John Peter Zenger, a New John Peter Zenger, a New

York publisher charged York publisher charged with libel against the with libel against the colonial governorcolonial governor

• Zenger’s lawyer argues that Zenger’s lawyer argues that what he wrote was true, so what he wrote was true, so it can’t be libelit can’t be libel

• English law says it doesn’t English law says it doesn’t matter if it’s true or notmatter if it’s true or not

• Jury acquits Zenger Jury acquits Zenger anywayanyway

• Not total freedom of the Not total freedom of the press, but newspapers now press, but newspapers now took greater risks in took greater risks in criticism of political figures.criticism of political figures.

Colonial CultureColonial Culture• Culture mostly flourished among the rich Culture mostly flourished among the rich

southern planters and northern merchantssouthern planters and northern merchants

• Architecture—Georgian style; brick or Architecture—Georgian style; brick or stucco, symmetry, center halls with stucco, symmetry, center halls with fireplacesfireplaces

– Public buildings, churches on seaboard; Public buildings, churches on seaboard; one-room log cabins on frontierone-room log cabins on frontier

• Painting—portraits of familiesPainting—portraits of families

• Literature—mostly religious (Cotton Literature—mostly religious (Cotton Mather, J. Edwards); political essays (J. Mather, J. Edwards); political essays (J. Adams, Otis, Dickenson, Paine, Jefferson)Adams, Otis, Dickenson, Paine, Jefferson)

– Most successful: Ben Franklin, Most successful: Ben Franklin, Poor Poor Richard’s AlmanacRichard’s Almanac

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