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Economies In the Colonies

Economies In the Colonies. Southern Colonies Based on commercial agriculture (Tobacco – 1 st cash crop) Rice, Indigo Plantations Tobacco High demand in Europe (1620-60) Intensive labor effort Virginia had perfect geography for growing tobacco Few roads, everything moved by water

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Economies In the Colonies

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  1. Economies In the Colonies • Southern Colonies • Based on commercial agriculture (Tobacco – 1st cash crop) • Rice, Indigo • Plantations • Tobacco • High demand in Europe (1620-60) • Intensive labor effort • Virginia had perfect geography for growing tobacco • Few roads, everything moved by water • Indentured servants • Rice and Indigo • South Carolina • Used slaves • Rice and indigo could be grown in different seasons in different types of ground

  2. New England • Diverse economy (Farming, Fishing, Shipbuilding, Sawmills, Etc.) • Farming • No large demand for their crops, No large plantations (Subsistence Farming) • Main crop was corn • Also barley, oats, rye, beans, peas, pumpkins, squash, apples, berries • Raised livestock • Fishing • Grand Banks (Great spot for fishing) • Brought most prosperity to New England • Whaling (Cape Cod, Nantucket) • Shipbuilding / Mills • Lots of forests providing lumber • Fall Line (Waterfalls created powered mills) • Wood was important to every town • Ships easily built because forests and mills were close to the coast

  3. Middle Colonies • Agricultural Base (Most fertile land on the continent, “Bread Basket “ colonies) • Farmers produced a surplus • Used rivers that ran deeper into the country to farm further inland • Wheat Boom (Population explosion in Europe in early 1700’s) • New wave of immigrants, high demand for food • Made some farmers in the middle colonies rich • Entrepreneurs • Capitalists • Limits in technology kept many from becoming rich • Only those that could hire extra workers or could rent out land got rich

  4. Colonial Society • Southern Colonies • Plantation system created a distinct class system • Wealthy elite controlled the area (politics, economics) • Planter Elite (Enormous economic and political influence) • Plantations were their own communities (Schools, chapels, blacksmiths, etc.) • Size of plantations grew with the change from indentured servants to slave labor in the early 1700’s • Building of mansions • Copying English upper class • Hired oversees to work the fields • More leisure • Backcountry Farmers (Yeomen) • Owned most of the land in the South • Former indentured servants • Mostly subsistence farming • Bacon’s Rebellion • Sir William Berkeley • Dispute over Native controlled land in the back country • Nataniel Bacon • Accelerated the use of slavery in Virginia • Never would be free, so they couldn’t own land • Fewer white settlers were willing to become indentured servants

  5. Slavery • 10-12 million transported from Africa between 1450 and 1870, 2 million of which died at sea • 3.5 million – Brazil • 1.5 million – Spanish colonies • 4 million – Carribean • 500, 000 – North America • Horrific conditions on the voyage over • Developed slowly in Middle Colonies • Some could gain freedom by converting to Christianity • As numbers increased status changed, soon all Africans were considered of a lower status. Hereditary system based on race • Slave Code (Virginia 1705) • Becomes a vital part of the plantation economy

  6. New England • Social life centered on the towns • Desire to worship together encouraged the growth of communities • Town Meetings • Anyone could attend, only men could vote • Selectmen – Handled the towns affairs • Could directly participate in government, unlike in England • Puritan Society • Lived near Church (Meetinghouse) • Very strict • Did, however, drink rum, wear bright colors, listen to music • God made the world and the things in it are to be enjoyed • Salem Witch Trials

  7. Middle Colonies • Distinct class system • Wealthy entrepreneurs at the top • Next those that owned a few acres, and generated a small surplus • Landless workers (Rented land or worked for wages)

  8. Trade and the Rise of Cities • Triangular Trade • To get English goods, New England’s merchants had to trade their goods somewhere else, then trade with England • Bills of Exchange • Triangular Trade with Caribbean and England; England and West Africa

  9. Growth of Urban Areas • Growth of trade causes some ports to grow rapidly • Philadelphia, Charles Town • Distinct Class System • Wealthy Merchants (Similar to Plantar Elite) at top • Were in the minority • Artisans and their families (Half the Population) • Carpenters, masons, coopers, irons, silversmiths • Innkeepers and Retailers (Equal to Artisans) • Unskilled laborers (30% of society) • Indentured servants and Slaves (10-20% of population) • Problems • Overcrowding, crime, pollution, epidemics

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