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.