Chapter 3: Colonial Ways of Life

1. Chapter 3: Colonial Ways of Life American History

2. Southern Colonies • Southern Colonies had warm climates and good soil, which were good for growing crops • Because of many cash crops growing in the South, southern farmers needed a lot of manpower to grow the crops • Many indentured servants who were free began to leave the plantations in order to buy lands around America • Planters tried to make Native Americans to work, but many died from European diseases

3. Slavery and its effects • As a result of increased need for work, planters took enslaved Africans and used them for work • worked at growing rice, tobacco, cotton, and indigo, a plant used for coloring clothes • Because of profits from cash crops, the planter class became the most powerful and wealthiest class in the Southern colonies • controlled most of the land in the South

4. Slave Life • Some planters were good to their slaves, while others were tyrants • On plantations, slaves worked in groups of 25 under an overseer, or men hired to watch over and direct the slaves while working • slaves worked 15 hours a day • slaves lived in one room cabins that had sleeping cots in them only • slaves didn’t receive a lot of food for the week, only enough to survive • despite hardships, many slaves kept their traditions and customs alive

5. Attempted rebellions and their aftermaths • Some slaves fought against their enslavement by working slow, damaging crops, or carrying out order in the wrong way • Some slaves, so angry at their masters, rose up in rebellion • most were put down easily • As a result of the rebellions, slave masters established stricter slave codes, or a set of laws that regulated slavery and defined the relationship between the slave and their master

6. New England Colonies • New England had long winters, rocky soil, and had a large English population • New England farming was short, due to the short growing season, so many practiced subsistence farming • farmers produced enough food for them, plus a little extra • Many in New England lived in a town • farmers surrounded a green square, or the center of the town

7. Fishing and Trade • Since farming was difficult, many turned towards the sea to fish • Atlantic provided great fishing grounds • oak trees provided good ships • New England settlers established three types of trade: • 1) Traded with other colonies • 2) Traded with European countries • 3) Triangular Trade-route with three stops • 1) Ship from New England brought rum and iron to Africa • 2) Ship from Africa brought slaves and gold to West Indies • 3) Ship from West Indies brought sugar and molasses to colonies

8. The Middle Colonies • Middle Colonies had shorter winters, fertile soil, and populations from all over Europe • many of those immigrants were German and Dutch, who brought knowledge of farming • The longer growing season allowed the Middle Colonies to produce cash crops • raised to be sold for money (fruits, vegetables, and grain) • Mills were extremely important to the Middle Colonies • animal and man power were used to crush corn, wheat, rye, and other crops

9. Middle Colony Society • Since many different immigrants lived in the Middle Colonies, there was a great surge of diversity, or variety of peoples • a majority of immigrants, besides English, were German • came as indentured servants escaping religious persecution • The region’s diversity allowed for tolerance to spread throughout communities • many practiced religious tolerance, or allowing other religions to practice without persecution • Quakers allowed other religions to practice in Pennsylvania

10. The Navigation Acts • From major profits in New England, the Navigation Acts were passed to ensure that England continued to make money from the colonies • Even with the Navigation Acts, England had trouble controlling shipping • smuggling (importing and exporting goods illegally) was common • pirates interfered with colonial shipping from the colonies • New Englanders in large towns owned slaves • worked as house servants, since farming was scarce • Interest in business and competition with other religions caused the decline of Puritan society in New England

11. Control in the New England Colonies • The king of England appointed governors to rule the colonies on his behalf • colonists disliked the idea because the had no representation in Parliament to argue it • King James II collected the Northern colonies and made them in New England, which was governed by a governor • angered the colonists because it ended their representative bodies and they could hold town meetings only once a year

12. The Glorious Revolution • A revolution in England swept the governors of the colonies from power • Parliament overthrew James II for not respecting the peoples’ rights • James fled the country, and his daughter, Mary, and her husband, William, became rulers of England • The Glorious Revolution • After William and Mary took over, they agreed to uphold the English Bill of Rights • an agreement to respect the English citizens and Parliament • king and queen could not cancel laws or impose taxes without Parliament agreeing • established that the government was to be based on laws made by Parliament

13. Life for Women in Colonial America • The colonies, especially in New England, began to thrive • land ownership determined success and social position • Women did many things around the land to support the family • tended to crops and made products to trade and use for the family • Even though they did a lot for the family, women did not have many rights • could not vote, preach, hold office, own property, and all moneys earned had to go to the husband, if she were married

14. Life for Children in Colonial America • Children also worked to support their family and their land • children ages 3-4 looked after animals and picked berries • boys age 6 helped their fathers tend to the land • boys age 11 became apprentices, or students of a professional craftsman • received food, clothing, lodging, and education, specifically in the craft they were learning • boys age 18 would start their own business with the craft they learned • girls learned household skills, and were sent to other households to learn other skills

15. Education and Religion in Colonial America • Education was a large factor in the growth of the colonies • wealthy children learned reading, writing, and arithmetic • poor children went to “dame schools”, where they were taught the alphabet • Colonists published newspapers, poems, books, and autobiographies to increase reading and education • In the 1730’s and 1740’s, a great religious movement swept through the colonies, teaching those who listened to continue to believe in God • The Great Awakening • Another movement during this time emphasized on reason, logic, and science • The Enlightenment