Seventeenth Century American Life

1607-1692

1. Chesapeake Colonies Times were hard for early settlers Nothing like we learn in elementary school. -Malaria, dysentery, and typhoid killed many. -Society was mostly men, who competed for the

few women that were left. -Family ties were weak; unmarried pregnancy THE CHESAPEAKE COLONIES WERE:

Virginia - 1607 Maryland - 1634

1a. Chesapeake Colonies Workers were needed to keep the Virginia colony

alive and not everyone could afford passage on a ship to North America.

Indentured servants – English that were desperate for employment and worked several years under a colonial landowner in exchange for land and freedom (freedom dues).

Need – LABOR TO GROW TOBACCO

1b. Chesapeake Colonies Headright system – Any worker who came to

Virginia got 50 acres of land. Effect – Unfortunately, the 50 acres went to

whoever paid for the boat ride to America. If a worker couldn’t afford the trip, they had to become an indentured servant while the 50 acres went to their master.

1d, e. Chesapeake Colonies 1d. The hope of becoming free from servitude and owning

their own land after their term was over. Not all was so hopeful though… The rich kept getting richer… Bacon’s Rebellion – 1676 Nathaniel Bacon – a rich planter who wanted war against the

Native Americans, rebels when he doesn’t receive support from Virginia governor William Berkeley.

He gathers the tired and unhappy indentured servants and overtakes Jamestown. He dies soon after and the rebellion ends…BUT…change was needed.

1e. The rich had all the good land and was making it harder for indentured servants to become free, so many joined Bacon, and so begins the struggle between the poor farmer and the aristocratic landowner…

The Chesapeake Colonies

Nathaniel Bacon

1c. Chesapeake Colonies Bacon’s Rebellion had far reaching effects After the rebellion was over, the rich became were

rather fearful of the indentured servant population They had to look to another source of labor, one

easier to control Africa The slave trade

2a., b. Colonial Slavery 10 million African slaves were transported to the

New World Shockingly only 5.4 percent came to North

America The largest portion went to Brazil (33 percent), and

the Caribbean (22 percent). 1680s – Wages rose in England, less people

came to the New World. There was also the fear of the indentured servants rebelling again.

2b. Slave labor was justified through racism and white supremacist views.

2c. Colonial Slavery

1) Unique languages evolved: Gullah – words from Gullah are in today’s English.

2) Music and dance – banjos, bongo drums, eventually jazz

Slave Trade

3. Southern vs. New England Society Chesapeake’s climate was much harsher New England was cool and moderate Chesapeake had shorter life expentancy New Englanders enjoyed longer life spans Chesapeake families were few; mostly individuals New Englanders had tight families Chesapeake gave more rights to women New England subjected women to men (Eve’s

Treachery) - much more religious Chesapeake had less marriages and adultery was

common New England had more marriages.

4a., b. Evolving Life in New England a. The Puritans’ religious zeal deteriorated over time and

events such as the Salem Witch Trials in 1692 led to a decline in membership which led to the creation of the half-way covenant – a partial membership.

b. 1) Town meeting democracy 2) Tidy school houses and well kept communities

4c. Evolving Life in New England 1) Natives – They were willing to share land with the new

European settlers. 2) Europeans – ultimately looked down upon the Natives

as savages felt they were better. They wanted to take the land.

Chapter 4 Vocabulary 1) indentured servants – worked 4-7 years in exchange

for land and freedom in VA. 2) “Freedom Dues” – SEE ABOVE 3) Headright system – to get more workers, new arrivals

were offered 50 acres of land for coming to VA 4) William Berkeley – governor of Jamestown, VA; 5) Bacon’s Rebellion (1676) – short lived rebellion that

led to fear of indentured servants and more of a reliance on slave labor

6) “Middle Passage” – in the slave trade, it was the journey from Africa to the Americas; brutal and harsh

7) Slave codes – slave laws that made slaves property or chattel, of their owners for life

Chapter 4 Vocabulary 8) “First Families of Virginia” - rich families in VA who

owned lots of land and slaves; dominated the House of Burgesses (FFVs)

9) Congregational Church – Puritan-ran churches; birthplace of democracy in New England; men voted

10) “Half Way Covenant” – due to dwindling church membership, partial membership was enacted in New England; this also diminished the line between the “elect” and the others….

11) Salem Witch Trials – religious suspicion led to the hanging of 19 people in Salem, Mass.; this was an all time high in popular passions running wild (Witch-hunting)

12) Leisler’s Rebellion – 1689-91 – Similar to Bacon’s Rebellion, but in NY City. Merchants rebelled against landowners…

First Essay Essay #1 Social and political tension illustrated growing problems in

Colonial America. Choose THREE of the following events and discuss the impact each one had on Colonial society from the mid-1630s to the 1770s.

  Halfway Covenant Founding of Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and

Pennsylvania Bacon’s Rebellion Salem Witch Trials First Great Awakening

Social and Political Tension Social – has to do w/ people and their

interactionsReligionThe class systemDivision of labor

Social and Political Tension Political – government, law, boundaries,

leadership, rebellion, warExpansion of territoryConflicts between peopleTreaties / agreements

Half-Way Covenant Puritans – New England Massachusetts Def. – religious – allowed “partial membership” in

the Puritan community Baptism but no voting rights Why? To keep Puritans from leaving; it was a

political move Tensions illustrated? Religious tension resulting

from over-fanatical Puritan laws / ways, etc. Terms – “visible saints”, Calvinism, predestination,

the idea of the “elect”, NO SLAVES.

Founding of MD, RI, CT, PA Maryland (1634) – Catholic – religiously tolerant Pennsylvania (1681) – Quaker – tolerant Rhode Island (1636) – broke off from Mass. – tolerant Connecticut (1636) – broke off from Mass. – tolerant Tolerance – social and political tolerance RI and CT – since they were founded from former Puritans it

depicts the social / political tension in Mass. This tension leads to the formation of new colonial

settlements / boundaries Tolerance means the American colonies will form very

individually and unique

Bacon’s Rebellion Virginia – 1676 The cause? Angry indentured servants, Nathaniel Bacon’s

desire to go to war w/ the Natives. Reasoning – social / political Social – upset indentured servants, mad at the rich

merchant planters who had all the LAND. Land = wealth This tension in Jamestown leads to a big social change in

the division of labor Less indentured servants, more slaves Why? To prevent another rebellion Terms – Jamestown, indentured servant, headright, slavery

Salem Witch Trials Over-religiosity = superstition Puritan Massachusetts – 1692 A series of trials against innocent people Tension – social / religious tension Why? It made people leave, caused expansion of

the colonies It also led to the eventual taking over of Mass. by

the British crown. Terms – Mass. Charter, witch hunts, hangings,

dissention (disputes)

1st Great Awakening Colonies – 1730s – 1740s Religious revival swept the colonies A return to holiness and purity in Christ Tent revivals, fiery preachers Impact? Led to a more individualistic approach to

church and salvation More people read the Bible at home instead of hearing

about it at church Thinking individualistically prepared the colonies for

revolution Terms – George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards,

“Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God”