COLONIAL SOCIETY
ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION
MINGLING OF RACES
• 1775
• 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE
• ½ AFRICAN AMERICAN
• DOUBLING NUMBERS EVERY 25 YRS.
• ENGLISH ADVANTAGE = 3 TO 1
• SHIFT IN BALANCE OF POWER
• MOST POPULOUS COLONIES
• VIRGINIA, MASS, PENN, N.C., MARYLAND
• 4 BIG CITIES
• PHILADELPHIA, N.Y., BOSTON, CHARLESTON
CONT.• GERMANS
• 6%
• 150,000 BY 1775
• PENNSYLVANIA
• PROTESTANT SECT / LUTHERAN
• PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH
• 1/3 OF COLONY
• NO DEEP LOYALTY TO CROWN
CONT.
• SCOTS-IRISH
• 7 %
• 175,000 BY 1775
• NOT PROSPEROUS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
• FIGHTING WITH IRISH CATHOLICS
• PENNSYLVANIA
• LAND TAKEN – PUSHED TO FRONTIER
• FIRST SETTLER OF THE WEST
• SQUATTERS
• RICKETY SETTLEMENTS
• FLOORLESS, FLIMSY LOG CABINS
• EXHAUSTED SOIL = MOVED ON
• PUGNACIOUS, LAWLESS, INDIVIDUALISTIC
• WHISKY
CONT.
• AFRICAN AMERICANS
• LARGEST, SINGLE, NON-ENGLISH GROUP
• 20% BY 1775
• CONCENTRATED IN SOUTH
• 90% OF THE SLAVES
CONT.• NEW ENGLAND COLONIES
• PURITANS
• LEAST ETHNIC DIVERSITY
• MIDDLE COLONIES
• VARIETY OF PEOPLES
• WHITE IMMIGRANTS
• 1775
• ½ POPULATION NON ENGLISH
• “STRANGE MIXTURE OF BLOOD”
SOCIETY STRUCTURE
• EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
• SMALL FARMERS
• MODEST HOLDINGS
• CITIES
• SKILLED ARTISANS / SHOPKEEPERS / TRADES PEOPLE
• SOCIAL LADDER = OPEN
• PAUPERS AND CONVICTS
• “JAYLE BIRDS”
JOBS
• CHRISTIAN MINISTRY = HONORED PROFESSION
• PHYSICIANS
• POORLY TRAINED
• BLEEDING
• EPIDEMICS
• INOCULATION = 1721
• LAWYERS
• NOISY WINDBAGS
TRADE
• AGRICULTURE = LEADING INDUSTRY
• 90%
• STAPLE CROPS
• WHEAT
• CHESAPEAKE
• N.Y. = 1759
• 80,000 BARRELS OF FLOUR
• FISHING
• NEW ENGLAND
• WHALING
• LUMBER
• SHIPBUILDING
• MOST IMPORTANT MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY
• MASTS = KING
TRIANGULAR TRADE ROUTE
HORSEPOWER / SAILPOWER• ROADS WERE HORRIBLE
• DEATH SENTENCE
• USED RIVERS AND WATERWAYS
• TAVERNS
• SAM ADAMS
• INTERCOLONIAL POSTAL SYSTEM
DENOMINATIONS• CHURCH OF ENGLAND
• ANGLICANS
• GEORGIA, N.C, S.C, VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, AND PART OF N.Y.
• COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY 1693 = TRAIN CLERICS
• CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
• GROWN OUT OF PURITAN CHURCH
• ALL NEW ENGLAND COLONIES
• EXCEPT R.I.
• ROMAN CATHOLICS = DISCRIMINATED AGAINST
• TOLERANCE??
GREAT AWAKENING
• 1730’S – 1740’S
• RELIGIOUS REVIVAL
• “DEAD DOGS”
• ARMINIANISM
• INDIVIDUAL FREE WILL DETERMINED PERSON’S ETERNAL FATE
• JONATHAN EDWARDS
• SALVATION THROUGH GOOD WORKS = FOLLY
• GEORGE WHITEFIELD
• NEW STYLE OF PREACHING = GREAT ORATOR
SCHOOLS
• BIBLE READING
• MAKE GOOD CHRISTIANS RATHER THAN GOOD CITIZENS
• EDUCATION = BOYS
• CAMBRIDGE = NEW ENGLAND
• PURITANISM
• PREPARING FOR MINISTRY
• WEALTHY FAMILIES = TUTORS
• DISCIPLINE SEVERE
• “BIRCHED”
POLITICS
• 1775
• 8 COLONIES
• ROYAL GOVERNORS
• MARYLAND, PENN, AND DELAWARE
• PROPRIETORS
• CONN, R.I.
• SELF-GOVERNING
• 2 HOUSE LEGISLATIVE BODY
• UPPER HOUSE = CROWN
• LOWER HOUSE = ELECTED BY PEOPLE
CONT.
• USED SNEAKY WAYS TO CONTROL AUTHORITIES
• SOUTH
• COUNTY GOVERNMENT
• NEW ENGLAND
• TOWN MEETINGS
• MIDDLE
• MODIFICATION OF THE TWO
• COLONIES NOT TRUE DEMOCRACY
• FAR MORE DEMOCRATIC THAN ENGLAND
CULTURE• ENTHRALLED TO EUROPEANS TASTE
• POOR RICHARD’S ALMANACK
• “HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY”
• “PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED”
• SCIENCE
• BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
• PRINTING PRESS = ZENGER TRIAL
• PAMPHLETS
• NEWS PAPERS
• FEW LIBRARIES
FOLKWAYS
• ATE BETTER = MEAT
• CHURCHES NOT HEATED
• INEFFICIENT FIREPLACES
• NO RUNNING WATER
• PLEASURE COMBINED WITH WORK
• BARN RAISINGS
• STAGE PLAYS
• LOTTERIES
• NORTH = WINTER SPORTS
• SOUTH = CARD PLAYING, HORSE RACING ETC.
• THANKSGIVING
• CHRISTMAS