18 th century life how british colonies develop different culture
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18th Century Life
How British colonies develop different culture
Pop growth
• 1701- 250,000
• 1775- 2.5 million
• African Americans: 1701- 28k• 1775- 500k
– Immigration– Natural increase
European immigrants
• Gt Britain, W + Central Europe– Protestants from France, Germany
• Escape from persecutions, wars• Economic opportunity
– Farming, shops, artisans
• Mostly Middle colonies
immigrants
• English ↓- fewer problems– Germans -> to PA Dutch country
• Farmland
– Scotts-Irish – Frontier, no respect for English• 1775- 7%
– Hugenots, Dutch, Swedes 5%– Africans 20-30%
Characteristics:
• Dominance of English Culture- modified by other groups
• Self Gov- rep assembly– Only RI & CT elected by people– Rest: royal colonies
• Religious toleration– MA least, RI & PA most
• No aristocracy– No social extremes
• Social Mobility– All but Africans
Family Life
• Economic/ social center• More children, married young
– Expanding economy & ample food supply
• 90% on farms• Higher standard of living than Europe
– Men work, own land• Unltd power in home
– Obligated to keep wife, children in line
– Women cook, clean, make clothes• Educate kids, physiking, share work of farm/shop
– Ltd legal, political rights
Economy
• 1760- < ½ English trade– Cannot compete in mfctr
• Prosperity– Teachers, ministers, lawyers, doctors ↑↑– Key to wealth: land
New England
• Rocky soil
• Short season
• Subsistence farming < 100 acres
• Logging, shipbuilding
• Fishing, trading
• Rum distilling
Middle Colonies
• Rich soil
• Wheat, corn for export England, W I
• Farms up to 200 acres- common
• Indentured servants
• Small mfctr, ie: iron making
• Trading growing cities (NYC, Phillie)
Southern Colonies
• Varied geog, climate
• Farming: subsistence to large plants: 2k acres
• Chesapeake NC tobacco
Transportation
• Harbors, rivers
• Horse & stage travel more common
• Taverns: food, lodging, social centers
- T.I.P./ shared beds– News, politics
• Postal system via horse, overland; small ships
$$ system
• Some hard currency: pays for imports– Imports exceed exports– Domestic trade
• Each colony issued paper $ inflation
Religion
• MD: Catholic refuge• Big towns attract some Jews• Majority: Protestants • Presbyterians N.Eng• NY Dutch Dutch reformed• PA: Quakers, Lutherans, Mennonites
– 18th c. MA + CT other religions are exempt from supporting Congregationalists
– VA: all tax support ended after revolution
Anglicans
• Prosperous farmers, merchants NY
• No bishop to ordain ministers in colonies
• Head: King of England– Symbol of English control
• Congregationalists– Successors to Puritans
• Ministers seem domineering• Doctrine too complex
Arts & Sciences
• Among well to do
• Architecture from England (Georgian style)
• 1740s-50s
• Symmetrical windows,
• Large center hall, 2 fps
• E. seaboard– Frontier: 1 rm log cabin
Art
• Itinerant portrait artists- English trained– Benjamin West– John Copley
Literature
• Religious tracts– Cotton Mather, Jonathon Edwards
• Political essays: American rights vs English authority 1760s
• Poor Richard’s Almanac (best seller)
• Phyllis Wheatley – poetry of a slave
Science & Education
• B Franklin: electricity, bifocals, stove• Education for males only
– New England: 1st tax supported schools– MA Law 1647 primary school in town w/ 50+
families• Grammar schools …. 100+ families
Middle C: schools are church sponsored or private teachers room w/ families on rotating basis
South: parent/ tutors
Higher Ed
• Harvard: 1636, MA, for supply of ministers
• Wm + Mary: VA, 1694, Anglican
• Yale: CT 1701, Congregationalist– 1756: no religious sponsors
Professions:
• 17th c: Ministers
• 18th c: Physicians- little training, can apprentice, med school: College of Phil. Or Edinburg
• Lawyers- uncommon before 18th c as most people argued own cases– Trade expands, legal probs become complex
Zenger Case
• 1735- John Peter Zenger– Criticized NY Gov in paper
• Charge: libel• Argued: Truth
– English law: injury to reputation= crime regardless of truth
• Jury ignored law; acquitted Z– Newspapers encouraged to take greater risks in
criticizing govs
Rural life (Yee-haw)
• Few newspapers / books; just bible
• Worked sun-up to sun-down
• 4 seasons: planting, growing, harvesting, prep for next cycle
• Ltd light/heat kitchen/ pf & candles
• Entertainment- cards, horse racing (S)– Theater (Mid) Religious lectures (NE)
National Character
• Free speech
• Free Press
• Elected reps for colonial assembly
• Tolerated variety of religions– Amers seen as: restless, enterprising,
practical, always trying to improve circumstances
Slavery
• # slaves ↑ rapidly– 1670 a few thou; early 18th c: tens of thou
• By 1750 ½ pop VA, 2/3 SC– Demand up due to:
• Reduced migration– English wages ↑
• Dependable labor– Bacon’s Reb
• Cheap labor:– Tobacco prices ↓ Rice, indigo ↑… req’d more land
• Slave laws- bondage for life, inherited status– 1641 MA allows slavery first– 1661 VA children inherit status– 1664 MD Baptism has no effect on slave status, no intermarriage
» Blacks seen as socially inferior– Triangle trade
Triangle trade
• Slaves from Africa to W.I.• Sugar, Molasses to New England• Rum, gold to Africa
• &• Manufactured goods from England to NE• Tobacco, Fish, Rice, Meat from NE to
Europe
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