Chapter 5Colonial Society on the Eve Of

Revolution13 colonies is misleading

England controlled 32 in new world

Conquest by Cradles

• 1700-300,000 1775-2.5 million(mil.black)• 800,000 imports-rest by natural causes• Colonists pop. Doubling every 25 years• Avg age 1775-SIXTEEN• Political consequences-1700-20:1 1775-3:1• Clustered on coast(TN/KY.)• Population rank 1775-Va./Mass/Pa./N.C./MD• 90% pop. Rural- Only 4 cities

A Mingling of Races

• Melting Pot-though most are?

• Create a chart with ethnic groups and their % in 1775

• Describe each ethnic group-push/pull factor and demographics and place of settlement

• Cre’vecoeur saw a new ‘man’ dawn

The Structure of Colonial Society

• Majority-land owning farmers• No all powerful upper class-nor large unseemly lower

one• Key feature rags to riches story• 18th century saw a slight rise in standard of living for

some-those benefiting from?• By 1750-top 10% in Philly and Boston owned 2/3• War brought destitute and almshouses• Planter class dominates south• Lower classes swelled by Indentured servants

Structure of Colonial Society cont.

• Southern gap between haves and have nots greatest

• 1700’s saw the colonies used as a dumping ground for undesirables

• On the bottom of the social ladder were slaves-whose #’s continued to increase

• Attempt made by SC to stop imports-crown stops the bid-source of future contention

Clerics, Physicins,Jurists

• Most honored profession in 18th cent.? Though losing rank-still high

• Physicians not very well respected-mostly feared-early physicians were on a par with barbers. Epedemics swept the colonies

• Law- looked down upon-considered on a par with drunks and brothel keepers(bigpimpin)-Adams’ future father in law frowned upon hearing of his new son in law’s chosen profession

Work-a-day America

• Agriculture was the leading industry• Tobacco #1 in VA/Md though wheat making

inroads-Why?• Middle colonies-Bread basket-NY-1759 export

80,000 barrels of flour• Standard of living probably higher for our masses

than for any Civilization up to that time• Fishing-done in all 13-most important in ?• Shipbuilding goes with fishing

Work-a-day cont.

• Commerce centered in middle colonies-NY and Philadelphia

• Manufacturing was slow to take root-England discouraged it and one could make a better living by farming

• Manufacturing that did exist-rum distilling/iron forges/beaver hats/spinning and weaving cloth

• Skilled labor hard to come by-wages were good• Lumber was most important manufacturing item• Shipbuilding consumed a lot of wood

Work-a-day cont.

• Large % of British fleet and merchant marine built in colonies

• Naval stores were coveted-pitch/tar/rosin/hemp/turpentine

• King treated those well-who made NS• King also limited colonists access to her

own trees-Broad Arrows

Strains Appear

• Americans were an important cog in England’s machine

• By early 1730’s trade imbalance hits the markets.• England could not buy enough of our goods so we

could not afford their goods. • Solution-seek buyers outside the crown-problem?• Mercantilism-• 1733-Molasses Act passed!!!

Horsepower and Sail Power

• Pioneers-transportation always a problem• Labor and capital shortages makes matters worse• Major cities not connected until 1700’s• Travel by boat common• Roads dangerous-wills in order?• Taverns/Inns days travel apart-breeding ground

for politics• Mail routes public/private

Dominant Denominations

• 2 established churches 1775-what are they?

• Anglicans est. where? Hindered by security of crown support-hurt by no bishop

• Congregational church in N.E.(R.I.)

• Read charts

Great Awakening

• Zeal is lost-2 burdens make it worse• “dead dogs”-ministers who were boring• Lay liberalism-reduce standards-good works-Jacob

Arminus• Stage was set for a major upheavel-1730’s• Jonathan Edwards-Folly of Goods Works-complete

dependence on God’s Grace• “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God”• Edwards was reserved in his delivery-Things will

change…

George Whitefield

• A former alehouse attendant…?• He will revolutionize the spiritual life of America• Actor’s comment…• He was a great orator• Revivals were a sight indeed• 2 schools of thought emerged-Old Lights did not

like new emotion- New Lights thought it was a +• Many new lights became baptists- a faith open to

emotion in sermons

Effects of the GA

• Older clergy was threatened

• The division it created in churches created new churches

• Created missionary work among natives

• ‘new light ‘ centers were created

• First spontaneous mass movement of the American people-”Americans” emerging

Education

• Education is for leadership not citizenship

• Reserved for the few

• New England will lead the way-good parishoners more important than good citizens-poem demonstrates change

• Conservative views in EDU.-reason was discouraged

A Provincial Culture

• American art/tastes were influenced by Britain

• Notable artists were-John Trumbull(1756-1843) Charles Wilson Peale(1741-1827)GW artist Benjamin West1738-1820 John singleton Copley 1738-1815

• Travel to Eng. to train- $ and time

Pioneer Presses

• John Peter Zenger