1-3: Colonial Life

I. Colonial EconomyA. British Colonial Policy

i. Mercantilism

Purpose of colonies was to

create profit for England

ii. Triangular Trade

Colonies sent raw materials to

England

England sent manufactured

products to colonies

Slaves imported from Africa

I. Colonial EconomyB. Diverse Colonial Economies

i. South

a. Characteristics

Large plantations along the

east coast

Small farming and hunting in

west

b. Cash Crops

Tobacco, rice, indigo

Grown for export

I. Colonial EconomyB. Diverse Colonial

Economies

ii. Middle

a. Characteristics

Small farming, trading

b. Growth of Cities

New York and

Philadelphia

Seaports and

commercial centers

I. Colonial EconomyB. Diverse Colonial

Economies

iii. New England

a. Characteristics

Small farming,

fishing, shipbuilding

b. “Puritan Ethic”

Strong belief in

value of hard work

II. Life in the ColoniesA. Wealth in Land

Strong belief in private

property ownership

Planters maintained close

ties to England

B. Later Immigration

Scots-Irish and English

immigrants settled in west

Practiced small farming

and hunting

II. Life in the ColoniesC. Religion

i. Diversity

South—Church of England

Middle—Various

New England—Puritan

ii. Intolerance

i. No separation of church

and state in Massachusetts

ii. Dissenters formed other

colonies

II. Life in the ColoniesD. Religion

iii. The Great Awakening

Religious revival

Led to new evangelical

religions

• Methodists, Baptists

Challenged the religious

and governmental order

• Social foundation of

American Revolution

III. Slavery in the ColoniesA. From Indentured

Servitude to Slavery

Growth of agricultural

economy required large

source of cheap labor

Indentured Servants

• Unable to afford voyage

• Worked on plantations for a

few years to pay for

passage or to relieve debts

III. Slavery in the Colonies

A. From Indentured

Servitude to Slavery

Africans arrived in

Jamestown in 1619

Filled labor role as

fewer indentured

servants were used

B. The Middle Passage