American Life in the 17th Century Chapter 4 American Life in the 17th Century

The Unhealthy Chesapeake Settlements in the Chesapeake area grew slowly in the 17th Century Half of the people in early Virginia and Maryland did not survive to celebrate their 20th birthday ☹ Urban development was slow to emerge

The Unhealthy Chesapeake Due to the diseases of Malaria, dysentery, and typhoid → life expectancy of settlers was low Women were allowed to retain title to husband’s property because southern men frequently died young ☹ Weak family ties were reflected in many teenage pregnancies among unwed young girls.

Tobacco Economy Tobacco growing depletes nutrients from the soil Planters always looking for new land to plant more tobacco Indians on the attack By 1630, 1.5 million pounds of tobacco exported and end of the century 40 million exported (this lowered the prices) Planters had to grow even more tobacco in order to make more money

Tobacco Prices: 1618-1710

Tobacco Economy More tobacco meant more labor so indentured servants came Most immigrants to Chesapeake colonies were indentured servants Virginia became the most populous colony by 1700

How English Came to the New World… Paid for their passage “Headright” System was begun in order to encourage settlement. Stated that whoever paid for the passage of a laborer received the right to acquire fifty acres of land Indentured Servitude – Given passage to America A suit of new clothes A few barrels of corn A small parcel of land (sometimes) Found it increasingly more difficult to live

Indentured Servitude

Bacon vs. Berkeley Bacon Accuses Berkeley

Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion: 1676 Nathaniel Bacon - Planter Governor William Berkeley

Bacons Rebellion 1676: Led by Nathaniel Bacon 1,000 Virginians got out of control Why? Native Americans were attacking frontier settlements, but Berkeley didn’t help Unhappy laborers set the area on fire, pushed Berkeley out, and attacked the Indians Bacon dies of disease. Berkeley hangs 20 of the rebels Result = look for cheaper labor that wouldn’t complain.

Beginnings of Slavery Indentured servitude (1619-1660) 1660 – Durante Vita A cheap labor force was needed that wouldn’t rebel Durante Vita = refers to the time after 1662 when the status of Africans changed from indentured servants to slaves; the slaves and their children are property for life to their white masters

Slavery in the English Colonies Increasing wages in England caused less laborers to want to go to the New World. 1698: The Royal African Company lost its crown- granted monopoly on carrying slaves to the colonies. The supply of slaves increased Most slaves came from the west coast of Africa Slave Codes made the slaves and their children property of their “masters” for life A crime to teach a slave to read or write

Middle Passage

Slave Trade

Question

“Middle Passage” can best be described as…(choose two answers) The trip from the West African coast, across the Atlantic, to the colonies The easiest part of their journey to America The journey from American parts to their new homes A gruesome ocean voyage The passage of the indentured servants

“Middle Passage” can best be described as… The trip from the West African coast, across the Atlantic, to the colonies The easiest part of their journey to America The journey from American parts to their new homes The gruesome ocean voyage to America The passage for the indentured servants

Social Structure in the South Slaves Indentured Servants Landless Whites (Largest group in South -- 1 or 2 slaves) Small Farmers (20 or more slaves) Great Planters Southern Life: Revolved around the plantations Waterways used for transportation Few cities

Slavery Decreased in the North There was little profit on small farms The climate and land features were less adaptable to large-scale farming New England economy depended more on fishing, shipbuilding, and commerce.

Puritan Migration

New England Families Family was the center of life Early marriage and many children encouraged New England- women gave up property rights when they married Divorce was rare Those convicted of adultery were whipped in public and forced to wear a capital letter “A” 1850: Book by Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Scarlet Letter

Life in New England Towns A land grant was given by the colonial government Settlers tended to migrate with their families A meeting house was built (used as a church and Town Hall) A village green was laid out Schools were required in towns of more than 50 families Population grew from natural birthrate Settlers lived longer than those in the Chesapeake

Half-Way Covenant Made due to declining church enrollment: What is a religious covenant? An agreement between two parties: God and the people, or between two people or groups Loosened the rules for baptism – agreement that all children, not just the converted ones can be baptized What is conversion? An individual receiving God’s grace of salvation An attempt to bring more people into the Puritan church and have more church participation

Question…

Which one is not a consequence of the Half-Way Covenant? It weakened the distinction between the “elect” and others It maintained the original agreement of the covenant It conferred partial membership rights in the once-exclusive congregations It increased the numbers of church membership Women became the majority in the Puritan congregations

Which one is not a consequence of the Half-Way Covenant? It weakened the distinction between the “elect” and others It maintained the original agreement of the covenant It conferred partial membership rights in the once-exclusive congregations It increased the numbers of church membership Women became the majority in the Puritan congregations

Salem Witch Trials

Salem Witch Trials In 1692 …

Rebecca Nurse’s House

Salem Witch Trials

Salem Witchcraft Trials Began with adolescent girls claiming to have been “bewitched” by some older women 1692: 20 people were lynched (most hanged) Most of the accused witches were property- owning women of whom many were jealous The result of unsettled social and religious conditions in rapidly evolving Massachusetts. Ended around 1693 when the governor prohibited further trials and pardoned those convicted