WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES?

1. WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE IN THE AMERICAN COLONIES?

2. Political Institutions • England allowed the colonies to have a fair amount of self-rule • Salutary Neglect

3. The Virginia House of Burgesses - 1619 • 1st representative assembly in America • Guaranteed colonists the same rights that they had in England • Laws were made to ensure the survival of the colony (no dancing, no gambling, no playing cards, must plant certain types of crops)

4. The Mayflower Compact - 1620 • The Pilgrims agreed to make decisions by the will of the majority • Basic expression of government by the “consent of the governed”

5. New England Town Meetings • Example of direct democracy – all citizens could participate in the decision-making process • Citizens could elect the colonial governor, his assistants, and a representative assembly • (“citizen” must be male, member of the Puritan Church, property owner)

6. Fundamental Orders of Connecticut - 1639 • 1st written constitution in America • Government consisted of representative legislature elected by popular vote and a governor chosen by the legislature

7. Common Characteristics of Colonial Government • Parliament and the King – ultimately ruled the colonies & had veto power over colonial laws • Colonial Charters outlined basic relationship that existed between colony & the crown • Royal Colonies • Under direct authority & rule of the king’s gov’t. • Proprietary Colonies • Under authority of individuals granted ownership by king • Corporate or Charter Colonies • Operated by joint-stock companies

8. Colonial Governors provided executive leadership in the colony • Royal Colony – governor chosen by King • Proprietary Colony – chosen by Proprietor • Corporate Colony – chosen by the people

9. Colonial Legislatures made laws for the day to day operation of the colony • 2 houses (except in Pennsylvania) • Upper House – appointed by governor • Lower House – elected by the people; had “power of the purse”

10. Economic Policies • Mercantilism…goal of Bullionism… • Trade, colonies, & accumulation of wealth were considered basis of country’s military and political strength • Government should regulate trade and production in order to become self-sufficient • Colonies existed to benefit the mother country • Provided raw materials to mother country • Served as market for manufactured goods from mother country

11. Under Mercantilism… • Colonial manufacturing prohibited • Mother Country must control currency • Limit “hard” currency; colonies would use “soft” currency • Establish a favorable balance of trade for the Mother Country (value of exports > value of imports)

12. New England Massachusetts New Hampshire Rhode Island Connecticut Middle Colonies New York Pennsylvania New Jersey Delaware Maryland Southern Colonies Virginia North Carolina South Carolina Georgia

13. REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY • Influenced development of regional economies • New England – limited farming – subsistence level, logging, shipbuilding, fishing, trading • Middle – agricultural “breadbasket”- corn & wheat; use of indentured servants; trading centers – NY & Philadelphia • Southern – large plantations – cash crops (tobacco, rice, indigo); slaves used due to labor shortage; some small subsistence level farms in the back country

14. Navigation Acts (1650 – 1673) • Established rules for colonial trade • Trade to & from colonies carried only by English or colonial built ships, operated only by English or colonial crews • All goods imported into the colonies must pass through ports in England • “Enumerated” goods from colonies must be exported to England only (ex. – tobacco)

15. Triangular Trade: A 3 part trade route

16. The Great Awakening (1730’s – 1740’s) • Religious revival that spread throughout the colonies • First shared common experience as Americans

17. Leaders in the Great Awakening • Jonathan Edwards – “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” • Preached that God was angry with human sinfulness • Must repent and be saved – or else eternal damnation

18. George Whitefield • Itinerant preacher who held revivals in barns, tents, fields • Topics included hell & damnation • No need to depend on ministers to lead people • Ordinary people of faith could understand the Bible for themselves

19. Effects of Great Awakening • Ministers lost some authority • Schism between “New Lights” and “Old Lights” • ↑ numbers of Baptists and Methodists • ↑ religious diversity → ↑ religious toleration • Belief that if people could make their own religious decisions, maybe they could make their own political decisions

20. Creation of new colleges • Princeton – Presbyterian • Columbia – Anglican • Brown – Baptist • Rutgers – Dutch Reformed • Dartmouth – Congregationalist

21. Summary:COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 13 ENGLISH COLONIES • English culture – language & traditions • Self-government with representative assemblies • Religious toleration→ varying degrees of religious freedom (Massachusetts – least tolerant; Rhode Island and Pennsylvania – most liberal) • No hereditary aristocracy • Social mobility – opportunity to improve their standard of living and social status by hard work (Puritan work ethic)