Colonial Population

1. Colonial Population • Divergence between the cultures of the colonies, tried to distance themselves from Native Americans, population grew rapidly through immigration and natural increase- by late 17th century Europeans and Africans became dominant

2. America in 1700

3. Colonial Population • The “melting pot” was in effect with colonists from different European countries. Differences in cultures were already being implemented in the behavior of colonists.

4. Colonial Population • Early settlers included the emerging middle class, business men, indentured servants and sons of Englishmen who stood to inherit no land.

5. Colonial Population • Indenture system provided way to cope with the severe labor shortage- came to escape troubles in England or with hopes of establishing themselves. Indentured servants bind themselves to a four or five year service in exchange for passage to America, food and shelter.

6. Colonial Population • The indentured system allowed the high rates labor shortage in the Chesapeake • Life after freedom from indentured servitude was rough; no land or work. Families had remained in England with no hope of a better future (there were better opportunities in Pennsylvania and New York).

7. Colonial Population • By 1670's immigration began to decline due to decrease in English birth rate and an increase in English prosperity • Conditions of settlement improved, improvements in reproduction rate began in New England and Mid- Atlantic colonies

8. Colonial Population • Cool climate, relatively disease free environment, clean water, absence of large population centers; caused New England to have the best longevity in life (71)

9. The Non-Indian Population of North America, 1700-1780

10. Colonial Population • Mortality rates in Chesapeake stay high (men just over 40):1 in 4 children died at infancy due to inadequate food, frequent epidemics, malaria, and salty drinking water. Life expectancy: men-71 women-70 • Deaths in colonial era were largely due to inadequate medical knowledge. Death common in childbirth and surgery

11. Colonial Population • Midwives aided in childbirth and used “medical knowledge” to provide herbal or natural remedies. Medicine rested so much on ideas produced thousands of years prior. Little support for scientific method-would gain acceptance in the Enlightenment.

12. Colonial Population • Widows, widowers and orphans formed substantial portion of white population • More women began to arrive in colonies- ratio of men to women became more balanced. Few women remained unmarried long (20 or 21) • Traditional male centered family structure difficult to maintain

13. Colonial Population • Women in the Chesapeake lives' consumed by childbearing (av. 8 about 5 died in infancy or early childhood). Average wife became pregnant every two years. • Maryland and Virginia created special courts to protect orphans

14. Colonial Population • Families stability grew, traditional patterns of male authority revived- "patriarchal" dominated by male head of family • New England- more stable, women married young, children more likely to survive, families more likely to remain intact, less independent

15. Colonial Population • Less control over marriage conditions, fathers more often alive, parents controlled children far longer

16. Colonial Population • Men depend on fathers for land, stricter parental supervision, Puritan church was a powerful institution and social presence, high value on family, principle economic unit- absolute male authority- women expected to be modest and submissive

17. Colonial Population • By 1749 indentured servitude being replaced with slaves • Slave trade responsible for immigration of 11 million Africans to North and South America and Caribbean

18. African Population of British Colonies 1620-1780

19. Colonial Population • The Caribbean and Brazil’s labor intensive sugar economies created a larger demand for slaves • First black laborers arrived before 1620. Fewer than 5% of Africans imported to the Americas went directly to the English colonies on the mainland- West Indies first

20. Colonial Population • "Middle Passage" - journey to America

21. Colonial Population • 1670's started importing blacks directly- Royal African Company- monopoly on trade in mainland colonies • 1690's turning point, monopoly broken; 1700-1760 number of Africans increased tenfold to 25 million- basis of southern work force

22. Colonial Population • "Slave Codes" limited rights of blacks, ensured absolute authority to white masters • Subordinated as an inferior race • In places like South Carolina slaves and landowners lived in relative equality; some slaves would be freed after servitude and few went on to own land.

23. Colonial Population • Flow of immigrants from England declined as a result of better economic conditions, new government restrictions on immigration

24. Colonial Population • French Calvinists- Huguenots, revoked the Edict of Nantes • German Protestants- arbitrary religious policies, arrived in NY, made way to PA • "Pennsylvania Dutch", Quaker colony

25. Immigrant GroupsIn Colonial America

26. Colonial Population • Most numerous- Scotch-Irish- prohibited from exporting wool to England, outlawed Presbyterian religion, tripled rents- went west, claimed land as own, disliked, ruthless, displaced Indians • Scotland- high rents, unemployment; left for North Carolina • By 1775 over 2 million, population nearly doubled every 25 years

27. Colonial Economies • Farming dominated all areas of European and African settlement. Colonies relied on some relations with Native Americans

28. Colonial Economies • Chesapeake- tobacco basis of economy, suffered periodic declines, boom and bust, overproduction

29. Colonial Economies • South Carolina and Georgia- rice and indigo (Eliza Eucas), dependent on slaves- more adept at basic agricultural tasks, accustomed to hot weather. Developed less commercial or industrial economy, few cities of modest size

30. Colonial Economies • Northern colonies-varied nonagricultural activities, conditions for farming less favorable- cold weather, hard rocky soil • Farmers in NY, PA and Conn. River Valley cultivated staple crops, supplier of wheat to the south, applied German cultivation methods, women worked too

31. Colonial Economies • Attempted industrial enterprises- shipbuilding • Largest industrial enterprise- Peter Hasenclever, iron making. Employed several hundred German workers

32. Colonial Economies • Iron Act of 1750 restricted metal processing in the colonies • Restrictions, inadequate labor supply, inadequate domestic market, no infrastructure • Lumber, mining, fishing, - produced goods in New England, exported back to England, thriving commercial class

33. Colonial Economies • Half of the country’s farmers were poorly equip (houses didn’t have essentials like pots and pans) • No currency- relied on a barter system, chaotic commerce.

34. Colonial Economies • Triangular trade-maze of trade routes- rum, slaves and sugar. Emergence of merchant class in Northern port cities (Boston, New York and Philadelphia)

35. Colonial Economies • British Navigation Acts- excluded non-British ships from colonial carrying trade • Colonies ignored British laws. Developed markets in French, Spanish and Dutch West Indies. Resulted in obsession with material goods and social status. Luxury goods including tea, linens, furniture, glassware, cutlery and crockery.

36. Patterns in Society • Imbalance between land and population became a foundation of English economy • 17th century plantations-rough relatively small estates isolated far from cities led to self-contained communities. Wealthy landowners exercised social and economic influence

37. Patterns in Society • Large plantation owners controlled those they employed (or enslaved) and the smaller famers in their area with economic influence.

38. Patterns in Society • 3/4 of slaves lived on plantation with 10 or more slaves; nearly half lived in communities with 50 or more slaves. • Slaves sang in native tongues that reinforced connection with ancestry. Distinct religion blended Christianity with African folklore.

39. Patterns in Society • Stono Rebellion in South Carolina in 1739, slaves attempt to escape to Florida, crushed the uprising

40. Patterns in Society • Social unit in Puritan New England town, drew up a covenant among members binding them in religious and social harmony • Houses around central "common", strong sense of community

41. Patterns in Society • Only those who had conversion experience admitted as full members of church • Tightly knit society, rigid patriarchal structure, strong sense of commercialization

42. Patterns in Society • 1680's-1690's Witchcraft accusations reflect social strains, resent favored position of eastern neighbors, jealous

43. Patterns in Society • Salem Witch Trials- teenage girls in Salem, MA accused West Indian servants of “voodoo”. 19 citizens in Salem were put to death before accusers admitted making up stories. Arthur Miller’s The Crucible- famous example of Trials. • Most middle aged women, widowed, few children, substantial land, challenged the Social norms

44. Patterns in Society • Philadelphia and New York- biggest ports, served as trading centers, social distinctions. • Cities brought urban problems- crime, vice, pollution, epidemics, traffic.

45. The Colonial Mind • New spirit of enlightenment- stressed importance of science and human reason; people had control over lives • Church of England never succeeded in making Anglicanism a dominant force

46. The Colonial Mind • Differences in church structure, religious toleration, diversity among religions • Catholics most numerous in MD, - deprived of political rights, forbidden to hold religious services

47. The Colonial Mind • Populations moving westward, lost touch w. organized religion, declining piety • Halfway Covenant- gave people of 3rd and later generations right to be baptized but not right to partake of communion or vote in church affairs

48. The Colonial Mind • Great Awakening began 1730s, new spirit of religious fervor, residents of areas withsocial and economic tensions, women, people of all backgrounds, intense religious experience • George Whitefield - made evangelizing tours offered relief from guilt, no need to rely on clergy to help gain forgiveness

49. The Colonial Mind • Jonathan Edwards- orthodox Puritan, attacked the new doctrines of easy salvation for all, traditional puritan ideas, absolute sovereignty of God, predestination, salvation by God's grace alone

50. The Colonial Mind • “New light" ministers revivalist (Whitefield) • “Old lights” - traditional, weakened authority of established churches, created increasing hostility to the traditional clergy, opened religion to be more diverse, strengthened Calvinism (Edwards)