The Structure of the Colonies
English Social Structure MONARCHY & NOBILITY MONARCHY = King & Royal Family MAJOR GENTRY = Hereditary titles (Duke, Earl, and Marquis) and control of House of Lords MINOR GENTRY = Kingly appointments (Baron, Knight, Squire, and Mister) and control of House of Commons
English Social Structure PROFESSIONALS = Lawyers, Doctors, Clergy, Professors Independent farmers & yeoman Artisans & craftsmen All 25-year-old males & older could vote Had no real power MONARCHY & NOBILITY PRODUCERS & PROFESSIONALS
English Social Structure Largest and LOWEST group in English society Farm hands, day laborers, and servants Criminals and beggars also included No property, no political power, no hope of improving their lives MONARCHY & NOBILITY PRODUCERS & PROFESSIONALS WORKERS & DREGS OF SOCIETY
King & Queen = Dad & Mom George I (1714-1727) George III (1760-1820) Queen Anne (1702-1714) George II (1727-1760)
Concept of Deference The English laughed at the developing American concept of (gasp) EQUALITY People at the bottom owed deference up People at the top owed social responsibility down England was a “corporate” society (Latin for CORPOS…meaning “body” and “organic”
Enforcing the Rules EXCEPTION #1 = Showing deference to the king is difficult when he’s thousands of miles away EXCEPTION #2 = There were no nobles in America and not very many people owned land
Colonial Structure THREE TYPES 1) ROYAL 2) PROPRIETARY 3) CHARTER Example = The Dominion Example = Maryland & Pennsylvania Example = Rhode Island & Connecticut
Different Colonial Structures
Pennsylvania
North Carolina Coastal rice plantations Western wheat farmers Central cotton plantations
New York