Beginnings of an American Identity

Objectives (what you should take away) Identify political loyalties of the colonists Analyze how colonial leaders hoped to unify the colonists

Early American Culture Land, Rights and Wealth – During this time, the colonies were thriving – Land ownership was high in the colonies – Owning land provided prosperity and political rights – Generally, only white, male landowners could vote

Colonial Social Ranks High: land owners, church officials, government officials, wealthy merchants Upper Middle: small farmers, trades people Lower Middle: renters, unskilled workers Low: indentured servants and slaves Despite these divisions, the wealthy were expected to aid the poor.

Women and the Economy Their work was essential to the colonial economy Cooked, churned butter, made soap & candles, wove cloth, sewed clothes Cash was scarce- women bartered (traded) with neighbors with goods or services Women could not vote, own property or have their own money.

Young people at Work Average New England family had 6-8 children and they were expected to be useful. At 6-8 years old, boys were “breeched,” meaning they got to wear pants. Then they began to help their fathers at work At 11, boys left their fathers to become apprentices. They would work for an experienced craftsman to learn a trade.

Colonial Schooling Land, wealth, hard work and education were valued. Only children from wealthy families learned arithmetic and writing. Children learned to read so that they could read the Bible

Schooling Colonial America had a high literacy rate – This was measured by the number of people who could sign their name – New England 85% were literate – Middle Colonies 65% were literate – Southern Colonies 50% – England 60%

Newspapers and Books Colonial readers supported a publishing industry that drew the colonies together In the early 1700’s, the colonies had only one newspaper, but over the next 70 years, more sprang up Benjamin Franklin began to publish Poor Richard’s Almanack

The Great Awakening ’s a religious movement swept the colonies The traveling ministers preached that inner religious emotion was more important than outward religious behavior. These sermons terrified and motivated listeners. Jonathan Edwards was one famous preacher during this time The Great Awakening caused churches to split and some to change their practices.

The Enlightenment The Great Awakening stressed religious emotion The Enlightenment stressed reason and science as a path to knowledge This movement appealed to the wealthy, educated colonists- but had effects on the 13 colonies John Locke (English philosopher) argued that people had natural rights to life, liberty and property and that a government must protect those rights.