American Life in 17 th Century

1. American Life in 17th Century Southern Society

2. Frustration in the Virginia Country • Challenge to Virginia Authority 1676 • Planters in the countryside disliked Jamestown officials • Royal Governor, Sir William Berkeley and the Green Spring Faction • Ruled Virginia for 30 years.

3. Frustration in the Virginia Country • Green Springers viewed the western planters as “crude and vulgar lot” • The western planters asked Berkeley to authorize expedition against the Indians to take their land • He refused

4. Bacon’s Rebellion • Bacon raised an army of 500 and led an attack against the Indians • Declared a traitor by Berkeley • Bacon killed peaceful Indians and forced Berkeley to legitimize his authority • Headed West and killed more Indians • In September Bacon burned Jamestown to the ground and plundered plantations

5. Outcome of Bacon’s Rebellion • On the surface, the uprising changed nothing • BUT, nothing was ever the same again • The common interests of all was found…Both wanted cheap labor • In the quarter-century following Bacon’s Rebellion the Chesapeake region thus became committed to black slavery

6. Outcome of Bacon’s Rebellion • Bacon’s Rebellion sealed an implicit contract between the inhabitants of the “great houses” and those who lived in more modest lodgings: Southern whites might differ greatly in wealth and influence, but they stood as one and forever behind the principle that blacks must have neither

7. Slavery • By 1680, black slaves outnumbered white servants among the plantation colonies’ new arrivals • By 1750, Blacks accounted for nearly ½ of Virginian population • Some of the earliest Black slaves gained their freedom and some became slaveholders themselves.

8. Africans in America • Slave life was VERY tough. Rice growing was much harder than tobacco growing • A few slaves became skilled artisans, but most were relegated to sweaty work • Did revolts occur? Of course they did!

9. Southern Society • Social gaps • Virginia “clans” dominated government and owned most of the land; the first families of Virginia • Drinking a huge problem in Virginia • Farmers made up the largest group • Few cities and few schools and churches

10. Southern Society • Women had more power. Southern women tended to have more power • In the South men had absolute rule over their wives, but… they died young and women inherited the money and could live independent lives if they wanted.

11. American Life in the 17th Century Northern Society

12. The New England Area • Women married in Early 20s and had children every 2 years until menopause • Average woman raised 8 children and gave birth to about 10 • Many women died in childbirth • Men didn’t have absolute power over their wives, but they did have lots of power. • Women didn’t inherit the money!

13. Half-Way Covenant • Puritans began to worry about the way their children were growing up • Preachers began to scold parishioners • In 1662 a new “formula” for church membership was announced • Jeremiads (strong sermons) continued • Anyone could come even if they were not converts