Society and Culture in Provincial America Chapter 3

The Colonial Population Early Population Not aristocratic in the beginning Indentured servants= ¾ of immigrants to Chesapeake in the 17th century Other Groups: Prisoners Vagrants Headright system

Birth and Death VS. Chesapeake New England 1 in 4 children died Half die before age 20 1/3 of all marriages + 10 years Bad water Malaria 40 years for men < 40 for women New England Same Disease free “cleaner” water Pop. quadrupled from 1650- 1700 71 for men 70 for women VS.

Chesapeake Women 17th Century 18th Century High female mortality rate Women who lived through child birth averaged 8 children apiece (3 live) # of women low= more latitude for women in choosing husbands 18th Century Life expectancy increases – “seasoning” Indentured servitude on decline Sex ratio more equal Patriarchal

New England Lower death rates= stronger family structure More parental control for longer Puritan ideals valued women as wife and mother But reinforced male superiority

Slavery’s Beginning Portuguese-Dutch-English Responsible for the forced immigration of as many as 11 million Africans 95% of Africans first spent time in the West Indies 1700-1760 the number of Africans in colonies increased x10 By 18th century, rigid distinction between black and white White servants freed, black servants not $ incentive to keep slaves and sell children Idea of subordinating a race, not uncommon to English: Irish and Natives

Changing Population By Late 17th century Non-native population outnumbered native population English immigration declined, but others started coming…

Colonial Economics

VS South North Overall: Chesapeake Tobacco Overproduction lowered cost By 1700 plantations with 12+ slaves were common SC + Georgia Rice Mud/swamps/heat/insects Africans better laborers than whites Stronger, less likely sick, handle heat SC Indigo Overall: Dependence on cash crops = limited urban centers North N. England Diverse agriculture = commercial sector Small scale/just for family NY/Penn/Conn German immigrants Improved farming Women worked with men Everyone had a craft Candles, carpentry, weaving, soap A good to trade and sell…this developed into tradesmen and urban centers Natural resources: lumbering, mining, and fishing 1764 Hasenclever Iron Factory in NJ VS

Rise in Colonial Commerce Amazing that colonies survived lack of currency harsh laws from Parliament Trans-Atlantic trade N. American products W. Indies products African products From trade an elite merchant class emerged

Patterns of Society The Plantation (South) Plantation Slavery Most were relatively small estates Far from cities or towns Plantation Slavery Smaller farms less social separation By mid 18th century over ¾ slaves on plantations of at least ten slaves Almost half of all slaves lived in communities of 50 slaves or more Stono Rebellion 1739

Patterns of Society Cont’d The Puritan Community (North) Town structure as opposed to farm/plantation All new colonies had a “covenant”- religious tie Tightly knit communities The Witchcraft Phenomenon Events 1680s-1690s Salem, MA (most famous, but not only one) Why? Women with power, land accused Others in low social position Most were middle aged and widowed with few or no children Puritan society had little tolerance to “independent” and “deviant” women

Patterns of Society Cont’d Cities 1770s two largest ports New York 25,000 Philadelphia 28,000 Boston 16,000 visible difference between rich and poor

The Colonial Mind Pattern of Religions The Decline of Piety Anglicanism, all supporters to be taxed to support the church Puritans saw Catholics as “agents of the Devil” The Decline of Piety Denominationalism: with so many diverse sects, which one is right? Puritan attendance was actually very high

The Colonial Mind Cont’d The Great Awakening Began in 1730s reached climax in 1740s Target: women and third of fourth generation sons not change/rebellion but rather salvation John and Charles Wesley George Whitfield Jonathan Edwards

The Colonial Mind Cont’d The Enlightenment Reason, logic, and science as divine need not turn to God for guidance, rather human moral sense Locke, Spinoza, Descartes, Voltaire  Jefferson, Franklin, Madison Education 1647 law required every town in Mass. to support a public school Indians and Blacks remained largely outside of the system Harvard, William and Mary, Yale and Princeton

The Colonial Mind Cont’d Science Law and Politics 1734 Peter Zenger wrote criticism of government