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Colonial Society

Explore the contrasting lifestyles of New England and Chesapeake societies in the 17th century, from education and family life to community dynamics. Discover the impact of The Great Awakening, Bacon's Rebellion, and the growth of slavery in the region.

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Colonial Society

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  1. Colonial Society American Life in the 17th Century

  2. New England Society

  3. New England Society Education & Literacy • Towns with more than 50 households were required to appoint teachers • Harvard College was founded in 1636 to train ministers • About 90% of adult white men & 40% of adult white women could sign their names • No more than 50% in other colonies • In England, only about 33% could read & write

  4. New England Society Community Life • Centered around the Meeting House • Homes were close to one another • Led to a high population density in town center • Created an atmosphere of “watchfulness” • Supported the overall goal of a “city upon a hill” without dissent • Easy to help one another & work together

  5. New England Society

  6. New England Society Family Life • Family Organization • Father - Head of the family • Mother - Manage the household • Children - Provide a labor force • Stability • 80% of children reach adulthood • Life expectancy - Men: 65

  7. New England Society Punishments • Convicted criminals were exposed to public ridicule • Meant to serve as a warning to others

  8. The Great Awakening • Early 1700s – church membership & attendance began to decline • 1730s-40s – religious fervor spread across the colonies with large revivals meeting under tents on the outskirts of town • Led by “New Light” ministers who emphasized an emotional & personal connection to God

  9. The Great Awakening Jonathan Edwards • Encouraged parishioners to absolve their sins & pay penance by praying for salvation • “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

  10. The Great Awakening George Whitefield • Proclaimed that ordinary people could understand the Gospel without the leadership of the church • Called for public admissions of sins & followers being “saved” in front of the congregation

  11. The Great Awakening Legacy • Promoted the growth of New Light institutions such as Princeton, Dartmouth, & Rutgers • Led to new divisions within the Protestant faith & a greater diversity of religion in the colonies • Shaped church life & worship in America • Encouraged egalitarian democracy

  12. Chesapeake Society Chesapeake Society

  13. Chesapeake Society • Tobacco cultivation dominated the region • Large profits could be made, but prices fluctuated • Indentured servants & slaves were common on the plantations

  14. Chesapeake Society Community Life • Centered around large plantation homes • Homes were spread out & situated along the banks of rivers or streams • Led to a low population density – about 6 people per sq. mile

  15. Chesapeake Society

  16. Chesapeake Society Family Life • Chaotic • 50% of children reach adulthood • Life expectancy - Men: 48 • Complex households

  17. Chesapeake Society Headright System • Virginia Company awarded 50 acres to anyone who paid a servant’s travel costs • Between 1630-1700 – 110,000 migrated from England to the Chesapeake Bay • Up to 90% were indentured servants • About 40% died within 6 years

  18. Bacon’s Rebellion Background • Tension developed between large landowners & former indentured servants • Growing gap between the rich & poor • The price of tobacco plummeted • Conflict with Native Americans

  19. Bacon’s Rebellion Conflict with Native Americans • Settlers (often former servants) encroached on land reserved for Native Americans • Indians retaliated • Virginia’s governor proposed a series of forts along the western frontier • Settlers took matters into their own hands • Led by Nathaniel Bacon

  20. Bacon’s Rebellion Key Events • Wanted to exterminate Native Americans along Virginia’s western frontier • Clashed with Governor Berkley & his supporters • Issued the Declaration of the People of Virginia • Burned Jamestown to the ground • Bacon died suddenly of dysentery • Ended the rebellion

  21. Bacon’s Rebellion Aftermath • Shocked many of the elites of the region • Contributing factor in the shift from indentured servants to slave labor

  22. Slavery in the Chesapeake • 1619 – First documented slaves arrived in Jamestown • 1660 – Fewer than 1000 slaves in the region • 1700 – At least 20,000 slaves in the region • (22% of the population)

  23. Slavery outside the Chesapeake • By the early 1700s, slave labor was used extensively in South Carolina • Slavery existed in all of England’s North American colonies • Slaves made up 20% of New York City’s population in the mid-1700s

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