American Life in the 17 th Century

1. American Life in the 17th Century 1607-1692

2. I. Unhealthy Chesapeake • Disease took toll on population • Caused region to grow slowly • Men outnumbered women 6:1 • Hard to form families • Eventually resistance to disease, presence of more women allowed region’s population to grow

3. II. Tobacco Economy • Chesapeake good for growing tobacco • exhausted soil, constant movement looking for more fertile land • production depressed worldwide prices • Needed labor- Indians died too quickly, African slaves too expensive • England had surplus of laborers, turned to indentured servitude • By 1700 more than 100,000 indentured servants came to the region • Eventually prime land became scarce, land owners did not want to give up land • Freed workers had to hire out for low wages

4. II. Tobacco Economy Headright System: • Each Virginian got 50 acres for each person whose passage they paid. Indenture Contract: • 5-7 years. • Promised “freedom dues” [land, money] • Forbidden to marry. • 1610-1614: only 1 in 10 outlived their indentured contracts

5. III. Frustrated Freeman and Bacon’s Rebellion Early Colonial Virginia • Landless, penniless freemen • Single, young • No women, money • Only land in backcountry Bacon’s Rebellion • VA Gov. Berkeley- friendly policies toward Indians, monopoly on fur trade • Did not retaliate after Indian attack • 1676 Nathaniel Bacon and followers, attacked Indians , chased gov. from Jamestown and burned town • Bacon dies from disease, Berkeley captures and hangs 20 rebels

6. Results of Bacon’s Rebellion • Exposed resentments between inland frontiersmen/landless former servants against gentry on coastal plantations. • Socio-economic class differences/clashes between rural/urban communities would continue throughout American history. • Upper class planters searched for laborers less likely to rebel- black slaves • Gave right to political participation to more small landowners

7. IV. Colonial Slavery • Majority of African slaves arrive after 1700 • Wages rise in England, shrink pool of laborers (indenture less attractive) • Mid-1680’s black slaves outnumber whites in plantation colonies • Most from west Africa, high death rate on slave ships • Newport, R.I. and Charlestown, S.C. large slave markets • South, British and New England merchants all benefitted from trade

8. IV. Colonial Slavery • Some early slaves gained freedom, as numbers increased white colonists reacted to perceived threat • 1662 first slave codes in VA (blacks and children property, could not learn to read, write) • Slavery transformed from economic to economic and racial institution (justify enslavement) • Early 1600s  differences between slave and servant were unclear

9. V. Africans in America • Deep south slave life severe • Rural plantations conditions poor, needed to import more slaves for labor • Different in Virginia, tobacco farming easier, plantations closer together • Families grew faster, population grew through natural increase • Stable, distinctive culture • SC- Gullah language • Religious traditions • Cleared land for development • 1712 slave revolt NY • 1739Stono River rebellion SC • Slaves more reliable labor source than indentured servants

10. VI. Southern Society • Social hierarchy develops by late 1600’s • Plantation owners (“first families of Virginia) • Small farmers largest group • Landless whites, many former indentured servants • Oppressed black slaves • Few cities, urban professional class slow to emerge • Life revolved around plantation • Transportation by rivers, poor roads

11. VII. The New England Family • Climate healthier than south • Migrated to region as families, population grew by natural increase • Family stability, intergenerational continuity (concept of grandparents)

12. Women New England and the South New England • Authoritarian male father figures controlled each household.Recognition of property rights undermine marriage • Laws established to defend integrity of marriage South • Fragility of family gave women economic independence • Women could own, inherit property

13. VIII. Life in New England Towns • Tight knit society based on communities • Surrounded by other colonial powers, Puritan unity of purpose • Society grew in orderly fashion, distribution of land by town fathers • Towns of more than 50 had to provide elementary education in Mass. • Democracy in church govt, political govt.

14. Land Division inSudbury, MA: 1639-1656

15. XI. Half-Way Covenant and the Salem Witch Trails • Factors: growing population, migration from towns, less religious zeal, decline of conversions • 1662 – Half Way Covenant, weakened distinction from “elect” and others • Results: wider religious participation, more women as church members • 1692 – Salem, MA women accused of bewitching others, 20 put to death • Resulted from social prejudices- Puritan ideas vs. Rising Yankee commercialism (many accused from prosperous part of town), mistrust of outsiders (Quakers, Baptists accused by Puritan settlers)), cultural mistrust of women (most accused were old women)

16. XII. New England Way of Life • Lack of good farmland led to frugality of settlers • Region less ethnically mixed • Diversified industry, experts in ship building and commerce • Slavery not profitable • Saw duty to “improve” land, clearing, planting, building • Religion, soil, climate led to purposefulness, self- reliance, resourcefulness

17. Colonial Society on the Eve of RevolutionChapter 5 1700-1775

18. 1775- British had 32 colonies in NA 13 original colonies not the wealthiest Average age 16 Most population east of Alleghenies, Appalachian Mts. By 1775 some had moved west 90% lived in rural areas Shifted balance of power between colonies and British I. Conquest by the Cradle

19. II. Mingling of the Races • Mostly English • Germans- 6% mostly Protestant, settled mainly in Pennsylvania • Scots- Irish- 7%, most important non-English group • Became squatters, quarreled with Indians, white landowners • 1720’s first moved into backcountry in NC, VA, MD, PA • Were squatters on land • Tradition of violence, individualistic • 1764- Paxton Boys protest Quaker treatment of Indians • Late 1760’s Regulator Movement in NC, insurrection against eastern dominance of colonies affairs • 5% other groups- French Huguenots,, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Irish, Swiss, Scots-Highlanders • African slave trade contributed to population diversity • Laid foundations for multi-cultural American national identity

20. III. Structure of Colonial Society • America land of opportunity • No titled nobility • Social structure very fluid • By mid 1700’s- class differences emerge small group of aristocrats had most power • Wars in 1700’s enriched a few merchants, made orphans and widows (mostly in NE)

21. III. Structure of Colonial Society Southern Social Pyramid • Plantation owners at top (planters) had many slaves • Small farmers, owned land, few slaves • Landless whites, some indentured servants • Black slaves at the bottom

22. IV. Clerks, Physicians, Jurists • Ministry most well respected profession • Physicians poorly trained, medical knowledge was limited and crude • Epidemics, plague feared by people • Lawyers not respected at first, criminals represented themselves in court • By 1750 lawyers seen as useful, played an important role in American history

23. Agriculture leading industry Chesapeake staple crop tobacco Middle colonies- grain Fishing major industry in NE Yankee (NE) seamen good sailors, international commerce Triangular trade- goods from American colonies, travel to Africa (or Europe) traded for slaves, then to West Indies traded for sugar, sold to Americas, huge profits made on each leg of trip V. Workaday America

24. V. Workaday America • Manufacturing not as important • Some small industry- rum, iron making, spinning weaving (by women) • Lumber most important mfg. activity (for shipbuilding) • British navy depended on American colonies to supply them • Americans demand more British products (b/c fast growing pop.) • British could not buy enough American goods • Colonists seek foreign markets • Trade imbalance between colonies, British • 1733- Parliament passes Molasses Act (along with the earlier Navigation Acts) to stop American trade with French West Indies • American merchants bribe and smuggle their way around law, creates resentment toward British government

25. VI. Transportation and Religion • Roads dangerous, poor in 1700’s, only connected large cities • Towns clustered around water sources • Taverns, bars along roads places of gossip, news • Mail system set up by mid-1700’s, unreliable, postmen not trustworthy • Two established (tax supported) churches by 1775 Anglican, Congregational • Anglican- NY,NC,SC,GA,VA,MD • Closely connected with monarchy in England • Congregational- NE except in RI. • Many ministers dealt with political issues, early rumblings of revolution from Cong. ministers

26. VIII. Great Awakening • Religion lost steam in 1700’s , New ideas challenged old ways (predestination), new ideas of free will • 1730’s and 1740’s -Great Awakening • Started in Mass.- Jonathan Edwards • Deeply emotional sermons, well reasoned, Message of human helplessness, divine omnipotence • Most famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” • George Whitfield- emotional sermons, style of shaking, heaping blame on sinners imitated by others • Orthodox clergy “old lights” skeptical of emotionalism • “New Light” ministers defended role in revitalizing religion • Split congregations, increased number and competitiveness of religions • Direct spirituality undermined older clergy • First mass movement of American people • Contributed to sense that Americans were common people united by shared experience

27. Effects of the Great Awakening and Enlightenment • Ideas of Enlightenment brought over from Europe, affected American thought challenged government and religious authority • Emphasized power of rational thought to explain world, appealed to urban, merchant class • Led to expansion of education (colleges and universities) • Ideas represented by Ben Franklin • In the South Great Awakening appealed to landless whites and African Americans, questioned authority of Anglican Church and powerful economic interests

28. IX. Schools and Colleges • Education more important in New England • Towns established primary, secondary schools, had to be able to read Bible • High number of college graduates • South- rural population, could not effectively establish schools • Education done on plantations by private tutors, wealthy sent children abroad for higher education • College Education- originally to prepare people for ministry • New England est. first colleges (Harvard first 1636) • New Light” universities Princeton, Brown, Rutgers, Dartmouth • By 1750’s move toward other subjects • First nondenominational college University of Pennsylvania est. by Ben Franklin

29. X. Pioneer Presses • Many small newspapers, pamphlets, journals around colonies • Powerful agents for airing colonial grievances, rallying opposition Peter Zenger Case 1734-1735 • New York printer • Accused of seditious libel for writing about royal governor • Case not about if statements were true or not, but fact that they were printed • Found not guilty, allowed for freedom of the press, open public discussion, eventually led to freedom to print responsible criticisms

30. XI. The Great Game of Politics • Variety of governments in 13 colonies • By 1775 8 had royal governors appointed by king, 3 run by proprietors and chose own governors, 2 had self governing charters • All had two house legislatures (upper house-appointed, lower house- elected) • Had to own property to be a voter • Self taxation through representation cherished privilege • Some governors corrupt • Most had trouble with colonial legislatures, saw gov. as British mouthpiece • Colonial legislatures held money from royal authorities • South- local government on county level (run by planters) • New England –town meeting, direct democracy • Almost half of all males “disenfranchised” • Property requirements to vote, ease of acquiring land made this attainable

31. XI. American Colonies in 1775 • By 1775 America more democratic than Europe • Basically English in language and custom • Protestant religion • Democratic ideas of tolerance, educational advantages, equality of economic opportunity, freedom of speech, assembly and representative government emerged in this period