Chapter 4 Lesson 1 Colonial Economy

Colonial Economies BIG IDEA: The unique resources and conditions that existed in each colony helped shape colonial economies and way of thinking. Essential Question: How did the economic activity of the three regions reflect their geography and climate?

Making a Living in the Colonies Geography played an important role in the colonies’ economic development. Colonists learned to adapt to the climate and terrain of the region where they lived.

Agriculture Life in colonial America was based largely on agriculture. Most colonists farmed or ran businesses related to farming. Example: milling flour

Commercial New England Farming was difficult in New England due to geography Soil was rocky and they had long winters Made growing things difficult Only subsistence farming- (farming enough to eat and not extra to sell) If they can’t make money farming, due to their geography, what might they do instead? Make a prediction.

Commercial New England Instead of farming, New Englanders tended to manufacture and sell things. Blacksmiths Shoe makers Furniture makers Gunsmiths Fishing Shipbuilders (New England rich in forests) Ships important for port cities like Boston (TRADE)

Summary: New England New England did not have good weather or geography for farming therefore they MANUFACTURED AND TRADED.

The Middle Colonies Middle Colonies depended mostly on FARMING Region enjoyed fertile soil Mild climate In NY and PA Large farms of wheat and other cash crops (crops easily sold to others) Farmers sent cash crops to NY and Philadelphia (port cities) to ship

The Middle Colonies Middle Colonies farmed but also had industry Carpentry, flour making, lumber mills, mines, ironworks, etc Attracted Scotch-Irish, German, Dutch, and Swedish settlers. Became successful farmers Gave Middle Colonies “Cultural Diversity” not found in New England

Summary: Middle Colonies Middle Colonies had a balanced climate and geography, therefore they BOTH FARMED AND MANUFACTURED.

Life in the Southern Colonies Had rich soil and a warm climate good for farming. Southern farmers could plant large farms Harvested tobacco and rice (cash crops) Little industry developed in the south DEPENDED ON SLAVERY TO HARVEST CROPS Plantation owners (very large farms with lots of slaves) controlled the economic and political life of the region.

Summary: Southern Colonies It was warm and mild in the south, therefore, they FARMED. Since they FARMED, they needed SLAVES to run these farms.

Tobacco and Rice Virginia and Maryland Main cash crop in MD and VA was tobacco Depended on slave labor Georgia and South Carolina Main cash crop in GA and SC was rice Became even more popular than tobacco Very well selling crop

Necessity “Necessity is the mother of invention.” How did geography and climate make it necessary for each region to adopt the practices of farming/manufacturing? New England Middle Colonies Southern Colonies

The Growth of Slavery By the time Europeans were sailing to the Americas, slavery was widely practiced in West Africa West African kingdoms enslaved those they defeated in war. Slave traders from Arab lands bought some of these enslaved people. Others were forced to work in mines or farm fields.

The Growth of Slavery Colonists who began farming had a need for slaves They purchased them from slave traders who got their slaves from West Africa Slavery became a part of the success of the colonial economy

Middle Passage Triangular Trade- Was the second leg of a trade route which made a triangle between Africa, America and Europe

Middle Passage The Middle Passage refers to the trip slaves took across the Atlantic to arrive in the English colonies. Slaves were chained together for more than a month Prisoners could hardly sit or stand, received little food or water Those who died or became sick were thrown overboard

Life of the Slave Some enslaved Africans did housework but most worked on the farms Suffered great cruelty by plantation owners Owners of plantations hired bosses to keep slaves working hard

Life of the Slave Many colonies had slave codes- rules governing the behavior and punishment of enslaved people. Some made it illegal to teach slaves to read or write Famalies often torn apart when sold into slavery

Critics of Slavery Puritans in MA refused to hold slaves How might their geography and economic practices have allowed this? Quakers and Mennonites in PA condemned slavery.