Chapter 3Colonial Ways of Life

Southern Colonies

Southern Colonies

Built on Agriculture Cash Crops Crops grown to sell at market $$$$$

$$$ How do you make a lot of $$$$$$?Plantations Large commercial estates used to

harvest a vast amount of cash crops.

Tobacco

The demand for tobacco in Europe skyrocketed.

Demand > SupplyWhat does that do to the price

of tobacco?$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

$$$$$$$$Tobacco farms were located near

rivers. Why?Easier to transport.

Indentured Servants

What was an indentured servant?A person that would work for

someone that paid their way to the New World.

Also gave them food, housing and clothing.

Sign 4yr contracts – sometimes longer.

They could produce 5 times the contract cost in the first year.

Southern Colony Crops

Sugarcane – failedRice – failed (at first)Became a

successful crop with the help of West Africans from the Caribbean.

Indigo – used to make blue dye for cloth.

Bacon’s Rebellion

Bacon’s Rebellion – backcountry farmers were having to fight the Native Americans to keep their land.

These farmers were important to Virginia, $

This accelerated the use of slaves.

Slavery

5% (500,000) of all slavery occurred in the Colonies.

10-12 million slaves were sent to America.

2 million died at sea.Slave ship captains would

purchase slaves from Africa.1619 first slaves arrived.

Slavery

Slave Code – distinguished a difference between slaves and free people in Virginia.

New England Colonies

New England colonies economy was very diverse.

Fishing, whaling, shipbuilding, trade, sawmills, small farms.

Farming

Difficult to farm – rocky soil.Subsistence farming – growing

enough food for themselves.Corn was the crop of choice –

short growing season, and could grow in bad soil.

Also raised pigs.

Trade

Triangular TradeTrade between New England,

Caribbean and England.Caribbean goods to New EnglandThose goods would be sold to

EnglandEnglish goods to New England

New England’s Economy (cont.)

Fishing and whaling were a success because of the Grand Banks – shallows of the Atlantic Ocean where warm and cold water converged = great fishing (plankton)

bills of exchange were used like money.

N. E. Economy (cont.)Sawmills were powered by

waterfalls along the Fall Line – area where rivers dropped in elevation.

New England Gov’t

Town meetings started to take place.

Discuss local problems and issues.

Open to free men only.

Started creating laws.

Selectmen – elected annually to manage the towns affairs.

Rise of the Cities

Wealthiest were the merchants – those that controlled the cities trade.

Artisans – those that were skilled workers. Made up half of the colonial population.

Problems with large cities

Name some problems with large cities:

Overcrowding Crime Pollution diseases

Middle Colonies

Middle Colonies

Most fertile land of all the colonies.

Wheat was grown here and was in huge demand in England = $$$

Entrepreneurs became wealthy. These people would buy land and equipment and sell it new immigrants. Risked their own $.

Capitalists – people who would invest there money in new business.

Quiz on 3-2

Southern Colonies

Northern Colonies