American Life in the Seventeenth Century (1607-1692) Chapter 4 American Life in the Seventeenth Century (1607-1692)

I. The Unhealthy Chesapeake Life was difficult for the early Chesapeake settlers Disease took ten years off of the life expectancy and caused many deaths Half of the people born in Virginia and Maryland died before their 20th birthday Few men lived to see their 50th birthday and few women lived to see even their 40th birthday.

The Unhealthy Chesapeake Cont. The disease filled area grew slowly and mainly due to immigration from England Most immigrants were young men, many of whom would die shortly after arriving Remaining had to compete for the few women left Outnumbered the women 6:1 in 1650 and still 3:1 by the end of the seventeenth century

The Unhealthy Chesapeake Cont. Families were fragile during this time Men could rarely find a wife Marriages destroyed by the death of a mate usually within 7 years Children rarely made it into adulthood with both parents and rarely ever had any grandparents Weak family ties caused women to become pregnant out of wedlock More than 1/3 of girls were pregnant when they married

The Unhealthy Chesapeake Cont. Though disastrous, eventually the settlers built up immunity to the diseases More women meant that more families were successfully form By the end of the century, they were growing mainly based on birth rate By the beginning of the eighteenth century they were the most populous colony with 59,000 inhabitants

The Tobacco Economy Chesapeake was inhabitable at first for the settlers, but perfect for tobacco cultivation Tobacco quickly ruined the land which increased the need to gain more Led to an increase in Indian attacks 1.5 million pounds of tobacco left the Chesapeake Bay every year by the 1630s This number reached 40 million by the end of the century

The Tobacco Economy Cont. More tobacco growth called for more labor Families procreated too slowly Indians died too quickly African slaves cost too much money Used indentured servants “Head-right” system- Allowed an individual to acquire 50 acres of land if they paid for indentured servants passage to the new world By 1700, white servants made up ¾ of population in Virginia and Maryland

Frustrated Freemen and Bacon’s Rebellion William Berkeley, the governor of Virginia, disenfranchised those who did not own land Had an excess of young men who started as indentured servants who were not given any land grants High tensions ended with a frustrated Nathaniel Bacon attacking Indians on the frontier Chased Berkeley out of Jamestown and set the capital on fire Continued to riot and loot

Frustrated Freemen and Bacon’s Rebellion Cont. Nathaniel Bacon dies of disease in the middle of the civil war and Berkeley is able to bring end to the uprising Hangs more than 20 rebels Uprising left heavy tensions between the landless, poor, former servants and the men who put them there

Colonial Slavery In the 3 centuries following Columbus, about 7 million Africans were brought to the New World About 400,000 landed in North America Brought to Jamestown in 1619 1670: Only made up about 7% of the 50,000 people in the southern colonies At this time, African slaves were much more expensive than white servants

Colonial Slavery Cont. 1680s: Wages grew in England which left less men wanting to come to the New World as indentured servants Landowners still afraid of white servants since Bacon’s Rebellion Mid 1680s: Black slaves outnumbered white servants 1672: Royal African Company lost its monopoly on the slave trade Americans jumped at the chance to make money on the slave trade

Colonial Slavery Cont. 1750: Black slaves outnumbered whites 2:1 in South Carolina and accounted for almost half of the population in Virginia Most slaves came from West Africa (Senegal and Angola) Captured by African coastal tribes and traded in crude markets Were branded and bound then herded onto a boat for the “middle passage” Death rates were as high as 20%

Colonial Slavery Cont. Some of the earliest African immigrants gained their freedom Some became slave owners themselves White colonists saw this as a threat 1662: Virginia made slave codes that established black slaves and their children as their property (chattels) for life. Slavery began for economic reasons, but ended in severe racial discrimination

Africans in America Slave life was especially severe in the South Rice and indigo plantations Died quickly Need for “fresh” shipments Chesapeake slaves had it slightly better Tobacco plants were less physically demanding 1720: Number of female slaves rose and family life was possible Population grew

Africans in America Cont. Native born African-Americans had diverse speech, religion, and folkways Island blacks evolved a new language Gullah: Blend of English and African languages Ring shout would eventually develop jazz in America Gained skills that helped build America Slave revolts in New York (1712) and South Carolina (1739) Still safer than the white indentured servants

Southern Society Slavery added to the hierarchy in the South Great Planters Small Farmers Landless Whites Indentured Servants Black Slaves

The New England Towns Tight-knit society of small villages and farms Puritanism unified the area as well as concern for moral health of the community Even expanded as a whole New towns legally chartered Democracy

The Changing New England Way of Life The growing population pushed colonists to outside farms- less church control Jeremiad The “Half-Way Covenant” Women played a more important role

The Changing New England Way of Life Cont. Salem Witch Trials 1692

The Changing New England Way of Life Cont. Rock-strewn land made living difficult and many crops could not be cultivated Left little money to be earned Focused on the sea

The Changing New England Way of Life Cont. Native Americans had made trails in much of the land Americans wanted to improve it Built roads and settlements New England people were self-reliant Impacted the rest of the nation

The Early Settlers’ Days and Ways The seasons and sun provided the schedule for the settlers- mainly farmers Planted in the spring Tended crops in the summer Harvested in the fall Prepared in the winter Women took care of the home: cooking, cleaning, children, etc. Men worked the land

The Early Settlers’ Days and Ways Americans lived in abundance Cheap land Wages three times those of the English Most were “middle-class” that emigrated Recreated social structure Met with resistance Blue Bloods