1)The Colonial Population
a)Indentured Servitude
i)Young men and women bound themselves to masters for a fixed term of servitude, in return received passage to America, food shelter, and males clothing, tools, and land at end—in reality left with nothing at all
(1)Provided means of coping with severe labor shortage, masters received headrights, for servants hope to escape troubles, establish themselves
ii)Most former servants formed large floating population of young single men, traveled from place to place, source of social unrest
iii)1670s flow began to decline b/c of prosperity in England, decrease in birth rate
b)Birth and Death
i)Inadequate food, frequent epidemics, large number early deaths. But growth of population even after immigration, after 1650s natural increase= most growth
ii)N= cool climate, relatively disease-free, clean water, no large population centers for epidemics= long lives. S= mortality rates high (infants too), life expectancy low, disease and salt-contaminated water. growth b/c immigration
iii)By late 17th cent ratio of males to females becoming more balanced, led to increase in natural growth
c)Medicine in the Colonies
i)17th + 18th cent no concept of infection + sterilization, midwives in childbirth and recommended herbs
ii)Humoralism led to purging, expulsion, bleeding. Most ppl treated themselves
d)Women and families in the Chesapeake
i)B/c of sex ration women married young, high mortality rates, premarital sex common. Life of childbearing, average of 8 children, 5 of which typically died in childhood or infancy. Had greater levels of freedom @ first b/c of ratio
ii)High mortality rates led to many orphans, special courts and institutions to protect and control them. By 18th century life expectancy increasing, indentured servitude decreasing, more equal sex ratio, life easer for whites
e)Women and Families in New England
i)Family structure more stable + traditional, women minority married young, children more likely to survive, much of life spent rearing and childbearing
ii)Family relationships and women status dictated by religion. S established churches weak, NE power in men who created patriarchal view of society
f)The Beginnings of Slavery in British America
i)Demand for black servants to supplement scare southern labor supply, limited @ first b/c Atlantic slave trade did not serve American colonies- Portuguese to SA and Caribbean, by late 17th century came to America w/ French and Dutch
(1)Sugar economies of Caribbean + Brazil demanded slaves, not until 1670s did traders import blacks directly 2 (b4 mostly W. Indies to America)
ii)Mid 1690s Royal African Company’s monopoly broken, prices fell, number of Africans increased. Small number in NE, more in middle colonies, majority in S b/c flow of white laborers had all but stopped
iii)Early 18th century rigid distinction established btwn blacks and whites, no necessity to free black workers, serve permanently, children= new work force
(1)Assumptions of white superior race, applied like it had to natives. Slave codes limited rights of blacks in law, almost absolute authority of masters
g)Changing Sources of European Immigration
i)BY early 18th century immigration from England in decline- result of better economic conditions and govt restrictions on emigration. French, German, Swiss, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Scandinavian immigration increased
(1)French Huguenots, German Protestants (many from Palatinate)- settled in NY, PA (Dutch mispronunciation of Deutsch), around 1710 Scotch-Irish immigrated + pushed out to edges of Eur settlements- significant in NJ and PA, established Presbyterianism as important religion there
2)The Colonial Economies
a)The Southern Economy
i)Chesapeake- tobacco basis of economy, bust and boom pattern, enabled some planters to grow enormously wealthy
ii)South Carolina and Georgia staple was rice. Arduous + unhealthful, whites refused to cultivate, dependent on African labor more than elsewhere. Blacks showed greater resistance 2 disease, more adept at agricultural tasks than white
(1)Early 1740s indigo contributed to SC economy, high demand in England
iii)B/c of S dependence on cash crops developed less of a commercial or industrial economy, few cities, no large local merchant communities
b)Northern Economic and Technological Life
i)Agriculture dominated, more diverse but conditions less favorable, hard to develop large-scale commercial farming, middle colonies more suited 4 wheat
ii)Home industries, craftsmen and artisans, mills for grinding grain, large scale shipbuilding operations, 1640s MA metals industry w/ ironworks. Metal became important part of colonial economy, largest enterprise was German Peter Hasenclever in NJ- but Iron Act of 1750 limited surpassing England
iii)Biggest obstacles for industrialization were inadequate labor supply small domestic market, inadequate transpiration facilities and energy supplies
iv)Natural resources- lumber, mining, fishing, impt commodities to trade
c)The Extent and Limits of Technology
i)Ppl lacked guns, plows, lack of ownership of tools b/c of poverty, isolation
ii)Few colonists self-sufficient in late 17th early 18th cent, ability of ppl to acquire manufactured implements lagged behind capacity to produce them
d)The Rise of Colonial Commerce
i)At first no commonly accepted medium of exchange, difft forms of paper currency ineffective + could not be used for goods from abroad
ii)Imposing order on trade difficult, production and markets of goods not guaranteed, small competitive companies made stabilization more difficult
iii)Commerce eventually grew, large coastal trade w/ each other + W. Indies, expanding transatlantic trade w/ England, Eur continent, west Africa.
iv)“Triangular trade”, trade in rum, slaves, sugar, manufactured goods
v)New merchant class developed in port cities (Boston, New York, Philadelphia), protected from competition by Navigation Acts, access to market in England. Ignored and developed markets with other nations, higher profits, financed import of English manufactured goods
vi)During 18th century commercial system stabilized, merchants expanded
e)The Rise of Consumerism
i)Growing prosperity created new appetite and ability to satisfy, material goods
ii)Increasing division of societies by class, ability to purchase and show goods impt to demonstrate class, especially in cities w/o estate to prove wealth
iii)Industrial Revolution allowed England and Eur to produce more affordable goods, increasingly commercial society created social climate where buying goods considered social good. Merchants and traders began advertising
iv)Things once considered luxuries came to be seen as necessities once readily available, such as tea, linens. Quality of possessions associated with virtue + refinement, strive to become more educated
v)Growth of consumption and refinement led cities to plan growth and ensure elegant public squares, parks, boulevards, public stages for social display
3)Patterns of Society
a)The Plantation
i)Some plantations enormous, but most 17th cent plantations were rough and small estates, work force seldom more than 30 ppl
ii)Economy precarious- good years growers could earn great profit and expand, but couldn’t control markets, when prices fell faced ruin
iii)Most plantations far from towns, forced to become self-contained communities, some larger ones approached size of town
iv)Society highly stratified, wealthy landowners exercised greater social and economic influence. Small farmers with few or no slaves formed majority
b)Plantation Slavery
i)By mid-18th cent ¾ blacks lived on plantations with 10+ slaves, ½ lived w/ 50+
ii)In larger establishments society and culture developed btwn slaves, attempts at nuclear families made but members could be sold at any time, led to extended families. Developed own languages, religion w/ Christianity and African lore
iii)Occasional acts of individual resistance, at least twice actual slave rebellions. Stone Rebellion in SC 1739- 100 Africans rose up + attempted to flee to Florida, quickly crushed by whites. Other slaves tried to run away
iv)Some slaves learned skills, set up own shops, some bought freedom
c)The Puritan Community
i)Social unit of NE was town, “covenant” of members bound all in religious + social commitment to unity. Arranged around a “common”, outlying fields divided by family size, social station. Little colonial interference, self govt
ii)English primogeniture (passing of all to firstborn son) replaced by division amongst all sons, women more mobile than brothers b/c no inheritance
iii)Tight knit community controlled by layout, power of church, town meeting. Strayed by pop increases, ppl began farming further lands, moved houses to be closer, applied for church of their own, eventually led to new town
iv)Patriarchal society weakened by economic necessity, needed help w/ farm, ect.
d)The Witchcraft Phenomenon
i)Gap btwn expectation of united community and reality of increasingly diverse and fluid one difficult for NEers to accept- led to tensions that produced hysteria such as witchcraft (Satanic powers) in the 1680s and 1690s
ii)Salem, MA- accusations spread from W Indians to prominent ppl. This model would repeat itself, mostly middle-aged, childless widowed women who may have inherited property. Puritan society no tolerance for “independent women”
iii)Reflection of highly religious character of society, witchcraft was mainstream
e)Cities
i)Commercial centers emerged along Atlantic by 1770s- New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Charles Town, Newport (RI)
ii)Trading centers for farmers, marts for international trade, leaders merchants w/ large estates, large social distinctions. Center of industry such as ironworks and distilleries, advanced schools, cultural activities. Crime, vice, epidemics, ect.
iii)Vulnerable to fluctuations in trade, countryside effects muted. Places where new ideas could circulate, regular newspapers, books from abroad= new ideas
4)Awakenings and Enlightenments
a)The Pattern of Religions
i)Religious toleration flourished in America b/c of necessity. Church of England official religion for some colonies, ignored except in VA and MA. Protestants extended toleration more readily to each other than to Roman Catholics- persecuted in MA after 1691 overthrow of proprietors. NEers viewed Cath French agents of Rome
ii)Early 18th cent some troubled w/ decline religious piety in society, movement west + scattered settlements= loss with organized religion, commercial success created more secular outlook in urban areas. jeremiads= sermon of despair
b)The Great Awakening
i)Began in 1730s climax 1740s, new spirit of religious fervor, appeal to women and younger sons b/c of rhetoric of potential for every person to break away from constraints and renew relationship with God
ii)Evangelists from England such as John and Charles Wesley, George Whitfield spread revival. Most famously NE Congregationalist Jonathan Edward
c)The Enlightenment
i)Product of great scientific and intellectual discoveries in Eur in 17th cent, natural laws discovered that regulated nature, celebrated human reason + inquiry. Reason and not just faith create progress and knowledge
ii)Ppl should look at themselves for guidance to live and shape society, not to God. Didn’t challenge religion, insisted rational inquiry supported Christianity
d)Education
i)Even b4 Enlightenment colonists placed high value on education, MA 1647 law required each town to have a public school. Most white males were literate, women’s rate lagged, Africans virtually no access to education
ii)Six colleges by 1763, most founded by religious groups: Harvard (Puritans) created to train ministers, William and Mary (Anglicans) Yale (Congregationalists). Despite religious basis, liberal education. Kings College (Columbia) and UPenn created as secular institutions
e)The Spread of Science
i)Prominent members of society members of the Royal Society of London.
ii)Value placed on scientific knowledge can be seen by rise of inoculation, spread by Cotton Mather and adopted in Boston 1720s, became common procedure
f)Concepts of Law and Politics
i)Americans believed they were re-creating institutions of Europe but b/c of lack of lawyers before 1700 English legal system was simplified- rights to trial by jury maintained but pleading and procedure simpler, punishment different b/c of labor-scarce society, govt criticism not libel if accurate
ii)Large degree of self-govt. Local communities ran own affairs, had delegates to colonial assemblies filed role of Parliament, apptd provincial governors powers were limited
iii) Provincial govts accustomed to acting pretty independently, expectations about rights of colonists began to take hold in America that policymakers in England did not share. Few problems before 1760s b/c British did little to exert authority they believed they possessed
