Post on 01-Jan-2016
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COLONIAL SOCIETY ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION
POPULATION BOOM
In 1700 there were 250,000 people in the 13 colonies
by 1775 they had a combined population of 2.5 million
This increased population growth was due in part to the “forced immigration” of blacks and immigrants, but largely because of the natural fertility of the colonists
TIPPING THE BALANCE
In 1700 there was a ration of 20 to 1 English men to American colonists
By 1775 the ratio had been reduced to 3:1 This helped to set the stage for a shift in the
balance of power between Britain and the Colonies
IMMIGRATION: GERMANS
Germans made up about 6% of the colonial population by 1775
Settled mainly in Pennsylvania beginning in the early 1700’s as they fled religious persecution, economic oppression, and war
Falsely referred to as the “Pennsylvania Dutch”
Most were Lutherans
IMMIGRATION: SCOTS-IRISH
By 1775 made up 7% of population Not actually Irish, they are Scottish but fled
from Ireland early in the 1700’s to escape persecution of their Scottish Presbyterianism from the strict Irish Catholics
Upon settlement in America, pushed out on to frontier and became frontiersmen
ETHNIC DIVISIONS IN 1775
IMMIGRATION: AFRICANS “Forced Immigration” Brought over as slaves By 1775 made up 20% of
population (largest non-English group)
Largest concentration in the south as the south held 90% of the slaves
MINGLING OF THE RACES
By 1775, French Huguenots, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Irish, and Swiss were all on the list of immigrants
Americans were of all races and mixed bloods, so other countries had a hard time classifying them.
The South is typically associated with being the least ethically diverse of the colonies while the Middle colonies are associated with being the most ethically diverse
COLONIAL SOCIETY
In comparison to the class structure in Europe, America appeared as a land of equality
Slavery was the only exception
COLONIAL SOCIETY ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION (NORTH)Beginning to show signs of class
barriers “Gods of War” became increasingly
wealthy as military suppliersWidows and Orphans resulted from
the war and developed need for charities and almshouses
The number of poor people rose furthering the divide between the classes
COLONIAL SOCIETY ON THE EVE OR REVOLUTION (SOUTH)
The large planters and farmers became wealthy thanks to their slave labor
Lower classes were enlarged as indentured servants and convicts were sent to America
Slaves were still the lowest of all the classes
PROFESSIONS
Christian ministry was the most honored profession
Lawyers and Physicians were usually less esteemed
bleeding was a common practice by doctors and not very successful
PLAGUES
Smallpox (afflicting 1 of 5 persons)was rampant
a crude form of inoculation for it was introducedin 1721.
Some of the clergy and doctors didn’t like the inoculation though, preferring not to tamper with the will of God.
AGRICULTURE Agriculture was the leading industry Farmers could seemed to have the ability to grow
anything. Tobacco was the staple crop in many of the middle and southern colonies Southern colonies also grewindigo and rice since many of the African slaves knew how to grow these crops
TRADE
also a prevalent industry, as commerce occurred all around the colonies. The triangular trade was common: New England sent rum and other manufactured
goods to West Coast of Africa and traded it for African
slaves which were sent to West Indies in exchange for molasses (for rum)
and other raw materials like naval stores
TRIANGULAR TRADE
MANUFACTURING
Not as important as other industries
Laborers and skilled craftspeople were scarce
Lumbering was most important manufacturing activity In addition to lumber, the northern colonies
exported other naval stores to Britain for ship building
MOLASSES ACT
1733, Parliament passed the Molasses Act
Designed to hinder American international trade by prohibiting it’s trade with French West Indies
Colonies were angered and responded by going around the with smuggling
HORSEPOWER AND SAILPOWER
Roads in 1700s America were very poor, and they only connected the large cites.
Roads were so bad that they were dangerous. As a result, towns seemed to cluster around
slow, navigable water sources, like gentle rivers, or by the ocean.
Taverns sprang up to serve travelers and were great places of gossip and news.
An inter-colonial mail system was set up in the mid-1700s, but, since there wasnothing else to do, mailmen often passed time by reading private letters,
DOMINANT DENOMINATIONS
Two established churches (tax-supported) by 1775: Anglican and the Congregational. The Church of England (the Anglican Church) was
official in Georgia, both Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, and a part of New York.
The Congregational church had grown from the Puritan church, and it was established in all the New England colonies except for Rhode Island.
THE GREAT AWAKENING
A religious revival which sought to revitalize religion through the emphasis of emotion in
Jonathan Edwards & George Whitefield were fiery, passionate preachers and leaders of the Great Awakening
More traditional orthodox clergy men, the “old lights,” were very skeptical of the new style of preaching which the “new lights” advocated
JONATHAN EDWARDS
was a fiery preacher who described the treacherous conditions of eternal damnation.
began preaching in 1734,
his methods sparked debate among his peers
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,”
GEORGE WHITFIELD
Began 4 years after Edwards, but was even more successful in moving his audience
A very talented orator who could be extremely persuasive
Imitators copied his emotional shaking sermons and his heaping of blame on sinners.
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
Because of plantation farming, the South was spread out and featured very few schools; however, the North, which focused on the community, emphasized education and the construction of schools
Education was most prevalent in New England, where schools were originally used to train young future clergymen. The were some primary and secondary schools in
other areas, but only children of wealthy families could afford to attend
Most of the emphasis was placed on religion, classical languages, doctrine and orthodoxy.
ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Painters (usually looked down upon) John Trumbull Charles Willson Peale, best know for his portraits
of George Washington Benjamin West and John Singleton Copley had to
go to England to complete their ambitious careers.
Architecture was imported from the Old World and modified to meet American needs. The log cabin was borrowed from Sweden. The classical, red-bricked Georgian style of
architecture was introduced about 1720.
LITERATURE
Phillis Wheatley, who had never been formally educated published a book of verse other polished poems that revealed the influence of Alexander Pope.
Ben Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanackwas very influential, containing many common sayings and phrases, and was widely read in America and Europe
THE PRESS
There were many hand-operated presses that could cranked out leaflets, pamphlets, and journals
Allowed for an increased spread of information and exposure of world issues
John Peter Zenger was a New York newspaper printer who was taken to court and charged with seditious libel
THE ZENGER CASE Peter Zenger was sued for
seditious libel The judge urged the jury to
consider whether or not publishing was a crime, no matter whether the content was derogatory or not.
Zenger won thanks to lawyer Andrew Hamilton and because he was able to provide evidence supporting his claims
The importance—freedom of the press
POLITICS
By 1775, 8 of the colonies had royal governors. appointed by the king, while 3 had governors chosen by proprietors.
Practically every colony utilized a two-house legislative body.
Self-taxation with representation came to be a cherished privilege
Some governors were extremely corrupt. Voting was limited to white male landowners
However, the ease of acquiring land helped to make voting more easily attaianable
EARLY COLONIAL AMUSEMENT
In the South, card playing, horse racing, cockfighting, and fox hunting were fun as well as stage plays
Lotteries were universally approved, even by the clergy because they helped raise money for churches and colleges.
Holidays were celebrated, though New England typically didn’t participate
1775 America was described like a quilt, each individual in its own way, but all coming together to form one single, unified piece.