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Colonial Life

Different ECONOMIC characteristics developed in different groups of colonies: New England, Middle and Southern.

The non-Indian population of English North America grew rapidly and substantially throughout the 17th and 18th century.

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During the first half of the 17th Century, colonial population increased slowly because of a high death rate, a lack of women settlers, and a low life expectancy

( usually around 40 years of age)

However, during the 2nd half of the 17th Century the population doubled every 25 years.

By, 1775, the non-Indian population of the colonies had reached over 2 million

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The New England colonies developed an economy based on shipbuilding, fishing, lumbering, small scale subsistence farming, and eventually manufacturing.

These colonies prospered, reflecting the strong Puritan work ethic.

The basic economic unit of these colonies was the town.

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The Middle Colonies were economically the most diverse colonies. Small scale farming was combined with trading and shipbuilding .

Middle colony Cities such as New York and Philadelphia became major seaports and commercial centers.

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Virginia and the other Southern colonies developed economies in the eastern coastal lowlands based on large plantations that grew “cash crops” such as tobacco, rice and indigo for export to Europe.

Farther inland, in the Appalachian foothills, the economy was based on small-scale subsistence farming, hunting, and trading.

Free enterprise and a strong belief in private ownership characterized colonial life.

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Economic Characteristics of the Colonial Period

Middle Colonies -shipbuilding -small scale farming -trading - some manufacturing

Southern Colonies (Eastern coastal lowlands)

-large plantations -cash crops (tobacco, rice, indigo)

New England Colonies

-shipbuilding -fishing -lumbering -eventual manufacturing

Appalachian foothills

-Small scale subsistence farming -hunting -trading

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Social Characteristics

In New England, colonial society was based on religious standing. In addition, the Puritans grew increasingly intolerant of dissenters who challenged the Puritan connection between religion and government.

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The Middle colonies believed in religious tolerance amd were home to multiple religious groups, including Quakers, Mennonites, Presbyterians, Huguenots, Jews and Lutherans.

Quakers settled in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Huguenots and Jews settled in New YorkPresbyterians settled in New Jersey.

Thus, these colonies also had a more flexible and tolerant social structure and began to develop a middle class of entrepreneurs, skilled artisans, and small farmers.

Farther inland, many hunters and traders were of Scots-Irish and English descent.

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The Southern colonies social structure was based on family status and the ownership of land.

Large landowners dominated colonial government as well as holding all high offices within the Church of England ( Anglican Church)

Southerners also maintained closer social ties to England than other colonists.

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During the mid- 1700’s, the Great Awakening was a religious movement that swept both Europe and the colonies.

It led to rapid growth of evangelical religions such as the Methodists and Baptists and challenged the religious and social order of Colonial order.

Such challenges, would lay the social foundation

for changes prior to the American Revolution.

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The Great Awakening

The Great Awakening was an important event in American life in the 1730’s-40’s.

It swept the colonies of the Eastern Seaboard transforming religious and social life.

This revival movement was led by Jonathan Edwards, a preacher who was concerned about the lack of religious piety that had developed during the colonial period.

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The spark that started the awakening was the sermon by Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, which stressed the idea that sinners are hanging by a single thread.

George Whitefield,

another popular minister,

stressed the idea that Christians should rely more on themselves.

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3The movement resulted in many itinerant, or traveling preachers, especially in the frontier.

It also resulted in many people joining Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterians congregations and becoming more tolerant of dissent or differences of opinion.

The movement also placed emphasis on education and new colleges developed during this time such as Harvard and William and Mary.

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A modest network of public schools emerged in New England after Massachusetts passed a law in 1647 requiring each town to support a school.

A greater sense of concern for Indians and slaves also emerged.

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Servitude and Slavery

Colonial life also led to the development of indentured servitude and slavery.

Southern colonies required cheap labor on a large scale.

At first, indentured servants from England, Scotland and Ireland agreed to work on plantations.

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Eventually, most large scale farms depended on slave ( permanent servitude-based on color) labor imported from Africa.

The leg of the triangular trade in which slaves were transported in horrible conditions from Africa to the Americas was called the “Middle Passage”

The slavery-based agriculture economy in the Southern colonies would lead to conflict between different regions of the nation.

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Triangular Trade - Trade route of African slaves from Africa to the Caribbean and the Americas, trade of slaves and sugar to the Americas and rum and goods back to Africa.

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Packing a slave ship

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In 1700, about 25,000 slaves lived in North America

By, 1760, the number of slaves had increased to over 250,000.

In the South, slaves had almost totally replaced indentured servants and colonial assemblies began to pass slave codes, or laws granting white masters absolute authority over slaves.

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During the 1700’s, Britain upheld a policy in which the colonies were basically allowed great freedom to govern themselves as long as it improved the economy of Britain. Such a policy is called salutary neglect.

Colonial Life

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