life in 17 th century english colonies the economic, social, & political culture of the english...
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Life in 17th CenturyEnglish Colonies
The Economic, Social, & Political Culture of the
English Colonies
Colonial Society in the 17th Century:
New EnglandNew England
Families in New England■New England society was much
more stable than other colonies:
–New England Puritans migrated to America as familiesfamilies
–Marriage was easy as most people shared common values
–Colonists lived longer due to more a dispersed population, purer water, & a cooler climate
Possibly the 1st society in history to reasonably expect to live long
enough to see their grandchildren
Towns became networks of intermarried families
New England “invented” grandparents
Education in New England■NE towns regarded education as
fundamental family responsibility; towns began to create elementary schools funded with local taxes:–NE had, by far, the highest
literacy rate in America–In 1638, Harvard
became America’s first college
Women in New England■Was the colonial era the “golden
age” for women?
–Women contributed to society as wives & mothers, devout church members, & ran small-scale farms
■But were not equals with men:
–Women could not legally own or sell property; divorce was difficult
–Women did what “God ordained”
Colonial Society in the 17th Century:The ChesapeakeThe Chesapeake
Families in the Chesapeake■“Normal, English” family life was
impossible in Virginia:– 70-85% of immigrants were
young maleyoung male indentured servants – High death rate (average age
was 10-20 years lower than NE)– One married spouse often died
within a decade– Children often never knew their
parents (let alone grandparents)
Women in Chesapeake Society■Scarcity gave some women
bargaining power in the marriage market; allowed some women to improve their social status
■But women were vulnerable:–sexual exploitation–Childbearing was dangerous–Chesapeake women died 20
years earlier than women in NE
Chesapeake Culture ■By 1680, social mobility in the
Chesapeake was limited:–An American-born elite class
had emerged (this social aristocracy was absent earlier)
–The plantation economy & ownership of slaves allowed the gentry to produce more tobacco
–High death rates halted the development of schools & towns
Colonial Society in the 17th Century:
African SlavesAfrican Slaves
The Roots of Slavery■The importation of African slaves
was based on a “need” for labor:–Native Americans made poor
slaves because they were decimated by European disease
–Indentured servant-pool waned after 1660
■An estimated 11 million slaves (mostly males) were brought to the English American colonies
The Roots of Slavery■Slaves were originally treated as
indentured servants but the growing black population in VA by 1672 prompted stricter slave laws:
–Africans were defined as slaves for life; permanent slave status was passed on to slave children
–By 1700, slavery was based exclusively on skin colorskin color
The Slave Population■In the Chesapeake & Southern
colonies with large black populations, slaves found it easier to maintain their African culture
■By 1720, the African population became self-sustainingself-sustaining:–Fertility rates exceeded
immigration rates for the 1st time–Did not occur in the Caribbean
or in South America
60% in SC40% in VAFree & enslaved blacks were much less numerous in NE & Middle colonies
The Slave Population■Widespread resentment of their
slave status led to resistance in the 18th Century:
–Armed resistance such as the Stono RebellionStono Rebellion of 1739 (SC)
–In 1741, 106 slaves were hung or deported due to a rumor that slaves planned to burn NYC
–Runaway slaves were common
150 blacks rose up & seized a munitions hold & killed several white planters
The Colonial Economy in the 17th
Century:Commercial EmpireCommercial Empire
Economic Diversity of the
English Colonies
Rise of a Commercial Empire
■English gov’t largely ignored the colonies until the 1650s (salutary salutary neglectneglect); The colonies were not state-funded nor state protected
■But…Charles II initiated colonial intervention in 1660 to maximize exports, decrease imports, & generate more gov’t revenue
Response to Economic Competition■“MercantilismMercantilism” became the
blueprint for England’s empire:–Wanted more money & a
favorable balance of trade–Wanted to eliminate Dutch rivals–Wanted a stronger navy
■Began to restrict colonial trade:–Navigation Act of 1660–Navigation Act of 1663
No ship could trade in colonies unless it was
made in England
“Enumerated goods” (tobacco, sugar,
cotton, rice, rosin, tar) could only be
sent to English portsGoods shipped to English colonies must pass through England (Increased the price paid by colonial consumers)
Implementing the Acts ■NE merchants found loopholes to
avoid paying taxes so the English made more restrictions:–In 1696, created a Board of
Trade to oversee colonial trade–Created maritime courts to
mediate disputes ■The Navigation Acts eventually
benefited the colonial merchants & smuggling virtually ended
Colonial Factions Spark Political Revolt,
1676-1691
Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia■Former indentured servants living
in the VA frontier suffered due to: –Poor tobacco prices in 1660s –Indian attacks in 1675
■These farmers blamed VA’s royal governor Berkeley who did little to help; Nathaniel BaconNathaniel Bacon led a rebellion in 1676 against Berkeley & was joined by small farmers, blacks, & women
King Philip’s War■In 1675, Metacom (“King Philip”)
led the Wampanoag Indians against NE colonists:–1,000+ Indians & colonists died–Large war debt led James II to
annul the Mass Bay charter & create the “Dominion of New Dominion of New EnglandEngland” by combining Mass, Conn, RI, Plymouth, NY, NJ, & NH under a new royal charter
King Philip’s War
Dominion of New England■Edmund Andros was hated by
Puritans, moderates, & merchants
■In 1689, Andros was deposed when William & Mary began reign
■Massachusetts was given a new charter that incorporated Plymouth but shifted power from the “elect" to those with property
Witchcraft in New England■Charges of witchcraft were
common in New England■But the “Salem panic” of 1691 led
to 20 public executions before the trials were halted in 1692
■Possible causes: –argument over church ministers–poor farmers accusing rich
farmers to gain land–reactions to independent women
Salem Witch Trials
Conclusions■By 1700:
–England’s attitude toward the colonies had changed dramatically
–Sectional differences within the colonies were profound
–All the colonies were all part of Great Britain but had little to do with each other
Experience of Empire: 18th Century America
American Colonial Culture: 1700-1780
Growth & Diversity in 18th Century America
Growth & Diversity in British America
■By 1770, the English colonies became much more different from New Spain & New France:
–Population boomed 1,000% due to increased birth rates, falling death rates, & a huge wave of non-English immigration
–Surging economic growth
–New political & religious ideas
Distribution of EuropeanEuropean
& African African ImmigrantsImmigrants in British
North America by 1770
18th Century Immigrants■1790 census showed less than
50% of American colonists were English; 18th Century immigration brought unprecedented diversity:–African slaves were largest
group to immigrate –The Transportation Act (1718)
allowed English judges to send convicted felons to the colonies (50,000 forcibly immigrated)
18th Century Immigrants ■The Scotch-Irish were the largest
European group to immigrate:–Initially welcomed as a frontier
barrier between Indians & PA–Challenged authority wherever
they settled■Germans were the 2nd largest
European group to immigrate:–Seen as hard-working farmers–Clung to German traditions
rather than “Anglicizing”
18th Century American Commerce
Economic Transformation■ In the 1700s, Spanish & French
colonial economies stagnated but English colonial economies grew:–Led to an increased standard of
living & affluence for Americans–The colonial economy kept pace
with its expanding population–English mercantilism increased
a desire for American products (esp. tobacco & sugar)
Birth of a Consumer Society■The availability of cheap English
mass-produced goods led to a rise in colonial consumption–Colonists grew an insatiable
desire for goods from “home” –The increase in inter-colonial &
Caribbean trade gave colonists the money they needed to buy British manufactured goods
–But, many colonists fell heavily in debt to English merchants
American Urban Life■Few colonists lived in cities:
–Boston, Newport, New York, Philadelphia, & Charles Town contained only 5% of total colonial population
–Cities were geared toward intermediary trade but…
–Cities began to attract colonists seeking opportunities
18th Century American Politics
Contrasting Colonial Politics ■Unlike state-controlled Spanish &
French colonies, the English colonies were decentralized:–All colonies (except CT & RI)
had royal governors–But all had colonial assemblies
that controlled local finances –Colonies were notnot democratic;
Power was centralized with the wealthy, landed elite
The legacy of “Salutary Neglect”
English Control over America■In the 18th century, England
maintained a unique political & economic relationship with America:
■As long as the colonies were profitable few British regulations were enforced & colonists could do as they pleased
Economic relationship was defined by mercantilism
Political relationship was defined by salutary neglect
The Great Awakening
Decline in Religious Devotion ■The 1700s saw a decline in
religious devotion:–Outside of NE, 1 in 15 people
was a member of a church–NE suffered a decline in church
attendance (1:5 were members)–Church sermons were seen by
many as “cold” & impersonal ■Led to a rise in ArminianismArminianism
(free will, not predestination)
The Half-Way CovenantHalf-Way Covenant (1662) was a way for NE churches to
increase membership to the “unconverted” children
The Great Awakening■The Great Awakening was a
series of revivals among Protestants in which of people experienced religious conversion in response to gifted preaching
■It was not a unified movement; Great Awakenings occurred in many denominations in different places at different times
Was not really “American” either as similar phenomena occurred in Europe
The Great Awakening hit New England in the 1730s & in Virginia in 1750s & 1760s
The Great Awakening■The 1st stirrings of the Great
Awakening began with Jonathan Jonathan EdwardsEdwards in Northhampton, MA:
–Used “fire & passion” to reach the discontent youth of NE
–Encouraged people to examine their eternal destiny
A reading from “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (1741)
The Great Awakening■George WhitefieldGeorge Whitefield became the
most popular of the evangelists of the Great Awakening
–He preached outdoor sermons to 1,000s in nearly every colony
–As a result, itinerants disrupted their established churches claiming ministers were not taught to see the “New Light”
From Authority to From Authority to Individualism Activity: Individualism Activity:
Comparing Puritanism, Comparing Puritanism, the Great Awakening, & the Great Awakening, &
the Enlightenmentthe Enlightenment
The Great Awakening■The impact of the Great Awakening
–New universities such as Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, & Rutgers were formed to educate “New Light” preachers
–1st “national” event; Encouraged contact among scattered colonists in different regions
–Empowered non-elites to challenge their social superiors
Including women & African-Americans
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