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Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution. Chapter 5. Mingling of Races. 1775 2.5 million people ½ African American Doubling numbers every 25 yrs. English Advantage = 3 to 1 Shift in balance of power. Most populous colonies Virginia, Mass, Penn, N.C., Maryland 4 big cities
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Mingling of Races • 1775 • 2.5 million people • ½ African American • Doubling numbers every 25 yrs. • English Advantage = 3 to 1 • Shift in balance of power • Most populous colonies • Virginia, Mass, Penn, N.C., Maryland • 4 big cities • Philadelphia, N.Y., Boston, Charleston
Cont. • Germans • 6% • 150,000 by 1775 • Pennsylvania • Protestant sect / Lutheran • Pennsylvania Dutch • 1/3 of colony • No deep loyalty to crown
Cont. • Scots-Irish • 7 % • 175,000 by 1775 • Not prosperous in Northern Ireland • Fighting with Irish Catholics • Pennsylvania • Land taken – pushed to frontier • First settler of the West • Squatters • Rickety settlements • Floorless, flimsy log cabins • Exhausted soil = moved on • Pugnacious, lawless, individualistic • Whisky
Cont. • African Americans • Largest, single, non-English group • 20% by 1775 • Concentrated in South • 90% of the slaves
Cont. • New England colonies • Puritans • Least ethnic diversity • Middle colonies • Variety of peoples • White immigrants • 1775 • ½ population non English • “Strange mixture of Blood”
Society Structure • Equal opportunity • Small farmers • Modest holdings • Cities • Skilled artisans / shopkeepers / trades people • Social ladder = open • Paupers and Convicts • “Jayle Birds”
Jobs • Christian Ministry = honored profession • Physicians • Poorly trained • Bleeding • Epidemics • Inoculation = 1721 • Lawyers • Noisy windbags
Trade • Agriculture = leading industry • 90% • Staple crops • Wheat • Chesapeake • N.Y. = 1759 • 80,000 barrels of flour • Fishing • New England • Whaling • Lumber • Shipbuilding • Most important manufacturing activity • Masts = King
Horsepower / Sailpower • Roads were horrible • Death sentence • Used rivers and waterways • Taverns • Sam Adams • Intercolonial Postal System
Denominations • Church of England • Anglicans • Georgia, N.C, S.C, Virginia, Maryland, and part of N.Y. • College of William and Mary 1693 = train clerics • Congregational Church • Grown out of Puritan Church • All New England colonies • Except R.I. • Roman Catholics = discriminated against • Tolerance??
Great Awakening • 1730’s – 1740’s • Religious Revival • “Dead Dogs” • Arminianism • Individual free will determined person’s eternal fate • Jonathan Edwards • Salvation through good works = folly • George Whitefield • New style of preaching = great orator
Schools • Bible Reading • Make good Christians rather than good citizens • Education = Boys • Cambridge = New England • Puritanism • Preparing for ministry • Wealthy families = tutors • Discipline severe • “Birched”
Politics • 1775 • 8 colonies • Royal Governors • Maryland, Penn, and Delaware • Proprietors • Conn, R.I. • Self-governing • 2 house legislative body • Upper house = crown • Lower house = elected by people
Cont. • Used sneaky ways to control authorities • South • County government • New England • Town meetings • Middle • Modification of the two • Colonies not true democracy • Far more democratic than England
Culture • Enthralled to Europeans taste • Poor Richard’s Almanack • “Honesty is the best Policy” • “Penny saved is a penny earned” • Science • Benjamin Franklin • Printing Press = Zenger Trial • Pamphlets • News papers • Few libraries
Folkways • Ate better = meat • Churches not heated • Inefficient fireplaces • No running water • Pleasure combined with work • Barn raisings • Stage Plays • Lotteries • North = Winter sports • South = Card playing, horse racing etc. • Thanksgiving • Christmas