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American Life in the 17 th Century

American Life in the 17 th Century. Chapter 4. Chesapeake. American wilderness Brutal Disease Malaria, dysentery, typhoid Life expectancy declined Men outnumbered women 6 to 1 Men could not find mates. Tobacco. Planted tobacco to sell before planting corn to eat Exhausted soil

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American Life in the 17 th Century

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  1. American Life in the 17th Century Chapter 4

  2. Chesapeake • American wilderness • Brutal • Disease • Malaria, dysentery, typhoid • Life expectancy declined • Men outnumbered women 6 to 1 • Men could not find mates

  3. Tobacco • Planted tobacco to sell before planting corn to eat • Exhausted soil • Demand for new land • Went further up rivers and pushed west • More tobacco = More labor • Indentured servants

  4. Cont. • Head-right System • Servant Workers • Paid passage = 50 acres of land • 100,000 Indentured servants = 1700 • Virginia/ Maryland

  5. Bacon’s Rebellion • Freemen = looking for land / Women • Governor Berkeley • Friendly policies with Native Americans • Nathaniel Bacon • Looking for untamed land • 1,000 broke out of control = 1676 • Plundering and Pilfering • Civil War in Virginia

  6. Colonial Slavery • 7 million slaves to New World

  7. Cont. • 1680’s • Black slaves outnumbered whites in plantations colonies • Royal African Company = Charter lost • Rhode Islanders = Cash in on slave trade • 1750 • ½ population = Virginia • Outnumbered 2 to 1 = S. Carolina

  8. Colonial Slavery • Middle Passage • Journey from Africa to the West Indies • Passage was extremely difficult • 20% of the slaves died on the trip

  9. Africans in America • Tobacco = less demanding • Plantations closer together • More contact with other slaves • Culture • Gullah (Language) • Jazz • Slave life severe in deep South • Life draining • Rice/Indigo

  10. Cont. • New York Slave Revolt – 1712 • 9 whites died • 21 slaves executed = burned at the stake • South Carolina Slave Revolt – 1739 • 50 slaves • Stono River = Spanish Florida

  11. Southern Society • Small Farmers • Largest group • Hand to Mouth • 1-2 slaves • Landless whites • Former indentured servants • Plantation owners ran the South’s economy • Monopolized political power • Families = Fitzhughs, Lees, Washingtons • Dominated House of Burgesses • Hard working, businesslike, long hours

  12. Cont. • Southern families = economic security for women • Men died young • Women retain separate title to their property • Widows right to inherit

  13. Cont. • Few cities sprouted • Life revolved around plantations • Waterways = transportation

  14. New England • Clean Water, Cool Temperatures • Added 10 yrs to life • Migrated as families • Early marriages • Birth Rate increased • 10 pregnancies / 8 children • Parents / Grandparents

  15. Cont. • Women gave up property when married • Lawmakers = protect / defend marriages • Divorce rare • Midwifery • Childbirth • Female monopoly

  16. New England Towns • 50 plus = schools • Massachusetts • Harvard – 1636 • Virginians • William and Mary – 1693 • Congregational Church Government • Tight knit society • Puritans = unity of purpose • Moral health • Distribution of land in hands of proprietors • Woodlot, tract (crops), pasture

  17. Cont. • Jeremiad • Doom-saying • Scolded parishioners • Decline in conversions • Half Way Covenant - 1662 • Admit to baptism – not full communion • Doors to Puritan church swung open

  18. Cont. • Salem Witch Trials – 1692 • Massachusetts • Witch hunt • 20 individuals • Gossip • Superstitions • Property owning Widows • Ended in 1693

  19. New England • Less ethically mixed • Stony soil /Extreme weather • Expert shipbuilders / commerce • Codfish • “fishy goldmines of New England” • Huge impact on the rest of the nation

  20. Early settlers • Most were farmers • Sun up to sun down • Women managed the home (plantation) • Distinction amongst classes • Leisler’s Rebellion – 1689 • Lordly landowners against Merchants • Gentlemen / dividing class • Laws passed to keep them in their place

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