Settlement, Culture, and Government of the Colonies Page 48 Chapter 2 Lesson 2 Settlement, Culture, and Government of the Colonies Page 48

Settling the English Colonies Most settlers came from Great Britain, which includes Scotland, Wales, and Ireland at this time.

Also, from other countries in western Europe, like Germany, Holland, and Sweden.

Economic Opportunity Economy – system of making choices about resources in order to earn a living

A better chance to earn a living in new world Plenty of land available for farming

Opportunities for skilled trades and other jobs

Those who could not afford the trip agreed to be INDENTURED SERVANTS. Worker who contracted with American colonists for food and shelter in return for labor.

Religious Freedoms Religious unrest in much of Europe. Dissenters were treated harshly those who disagreed with commonly held views Pilgrims (also called Puritans) settled Massachusetts. They did NOT welcome other Religions. Some from Mass. went to Connecticut and Rhode Island

Colonial Life Features of the local Geography influenced the economy (what people did to earn a living)

New England Colonies Ship Building Shipping Fishing / Whaling Lumber Fur Local farming but not much to export

New England Colonies Why wasn’t agriculture a fixture in the Economy?

Answer: Longer winters Shorter growing season Land that was mountainous Rocky soil

Middle Colonies A better climate and longer growing season allowed for agriculture to flourish Cash Crops - Farming with great surplus to be sold elsewhere. Wheat, Tobacco, merchant shipping, ironworks, lumber Philadelphia and New York became busy ports

Question? Why is Pennsylvania called “The Keystone State”?

Answers The Keystone State A keystone is a central wedge in an arch that locks all other pieces of an arch in place. It is the part of an arch that all other parts depend upon.

When the colonies considered breaking away from Great Britain, only 9 delegates showed up to vote in the Continental Congress. 4 votes in favor of the break, 4 votes opposed. The last deciding vote was from Pennsylvania.

Also, geographically, Pennsylvania is at the center of the colonies Also, geographically, Pennsylvania is at the center of the colonies. It’s location was vital to the colonial economy, as well as the fight for independence.

Southern Colonies Warmest climate and a near year long growing season Largest of plantations for export Tobacco, Cotton, rice, merchant shipping Slavery

Colonial Government Colonies existed to benefit England The great distance across the Atlantic ocean allowed for some independence. Late 1600s British Parliament began to pass more laws regulating and taxing merchant trade from the colonies. Most colonies had a Governor appointed by the King with an assembly elected by the people. Their influence grew strong.

A Time of Change Colonies’ elected assemblies grew stronger More authority on taxes and spending Royal governors were seen to be more aligned with England than America Colonists resented being treated as 2nd class citizens.

Lesson 2 review pg. 53 1. What reasons did dissenters and indentured servants have for coming to the American colonies?

Religious dissenters came to America to worship in their own way, and poor people came as indentured servants hoping for a better life.

2. Use the terms plantation and cash crop in a sentence about the colonies' economy.

In the Southern Colonies, plantations grew tobacco as a cash crop.

3. Explaining How did the writings of people like John Locke lead colonists to resent the British government?

Locke wrote that the governments should serve the people, whereas the colonists felt they were made to serve the British king.

4. Analyzing How did geographic features influence life in the colonies?

Soil, climate, and natural resources affected all three economic regions. New Englanders were fur traders, fishers, shipbuilders, and shopkeepers. Most people lived in towns. Some had small farms. Although most people in the Southern Colonies were small farmers, the owners of the large plantations that developed in the warm climate and rich soil had wealth and power. There were few towns. Life in the Middle Colonies was similar in some ways to life in the two other regions. The Middle Colonies had large farms as well as many businesses and towns.

5. Identifying How do John Locke's ideas help explain why the colonists looked to their legislatures for leadership instead of to the colony's governor?

Legislatures were the colonists’ elected representatives, whereas the governor represented the king.