Essential Question: In what ways were the “Southern” and “Northern” British colonies different from each other? Warm-Up Question: What impact did Britain’s policies of salutary neglect & mercantilism have on the colonies? Lesson plan for August 21, 2007: Warm-up question, Regional Differences Notes, Illustrated Journal Entry

Regional Differences Among the British Colonies

The Economies of the Colonies The British colonies produced a variety of profitable materials & were populated by a variety of diverse peoples By the 1700s, the differences among the “Southern” & “Northern” colonies led to long-term differences among these societies

“Northern” Colonies “Southern” Colonies

Life in the “Southern” Colonies The Southern economies were dominated by cash-crop agriculture Tobacco in VA, MD, & NC Rice & indigo in SC & GA As a result, Southern society centered on: Plantations rather than cities Gaps between the rich & poor Forced labor (slaves & servants)

Life in the “Southern” Colonies

Life in the “Southern” Colonies By the 1700s, the Southern colonies became more diverse: English colonists typically made up the plantation owners in the nutrient-rich lands in the east Former indentured servants, German, Scots-Irish immigrants moved to the “backcountry” with poor soil, near Indians, & lived on the brink of poverty

The North American “Backcountry” Distribution of European & African Immigrants in British North America by 1770 The North American “Backcountry”

Women in the “Southern” Colonies Women in Southern society found their lived dominated by men: Women were not eligible to vote, divorce, own or sell property “Common” women were responsible for assisting in the field in addition to cleaning, cooking, & childrearing chores Upper-class women had slaves or servants, but had few rights

Women in “Southern” Colonies

Slavery in the “Southern” Colonies Slavery in the Southern colonies was far more common than in the Northern colonies: Cash-crop agriculture, like tobacco & rice, required workers By 1660, fewer indentured servants were coming to America 80-90% of Southern slaves were field workers, most on plantations

Slavery in the “Southern” Colonies Slave culture in the South: Slaves came from a variety of places in West Africa & had a variety of languages & cultures Music & dance were used to maintain their African culture Families were common, but marriage was not recognized Slave religion often blended African rituals with Christianity

The Slave Population Slavery led to resistance: Runaway slaves were common Sabotaging of field tools & intentionally slowing down the work were common techniques of slave resistance In 1739, in South Carolina 150 slaves led the Stono Rebellion against white plantation owners 16

“Northern” Colonies

Life in the “Northern” Colonies Northern economies were much more diverse than in the South: Were restricted to much smaller farms that grew multiple crops Included wheat, corn, livestock, lumber, shipbuilding, fishing, iron Boston, Philadelphia, New York were important port cities that allowed for international trade

Life in the “Northern” Colonies

Life in the “Northern” Colonies Like the Southern colonies, English, Germans, & Scots-Irish were the major immigrant groups & most moved to the backcountry as small-scale farmers Slaves worked on small-scale farms or as domestic servants Northern women could not vote or own property & were to serve & obey their husbands

Distribution of European & African Immigrants in British North America by 1770

Social Mobility Northern colonies offered greater social mobility than the South: Social status was less dependent upon ownership of land Numerous professional & trade professions in cities Benjamin Franklin represented opportunities in colonial society; He used scientific innovation & political writing to gain world fame

The Great Awakening

Decline in Religious Devotion By the 1700s, American colonists saw a decline in religious devotion: Church sermons were seen by many as “cold” & impersonal In the 1730s & 1740s, the Great Awakening was a series of revivals in which of people experienced religious conversion in response to gifted preaching Outside of NE, 1 in 15 people was a member of a church NE suffered a decline in church attendance (1:5 were members)

The Great Awakening Preachers like Jonathan Edwards & George Whitefield were the most popular evangelists: Used “fire & passion” to encourage people to examine their eternal destiny (“New Light”) Preached sermons to 1,000s in large “camp revivals” Encouraged questioning of established churches

Brown, Rutgers, & Princeton The Great Awakening The Great Awakening impacted all the colonists & led to: New universities were formed to educate “New Light” preachers Contact among scattered colonists in different regions (1st “national” American event) Decline in Puritan & Anglican faiths & rise of Methodists, Baptists, & other denominations Brown, Rutgers, & Princeton such as Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, & Rutgers

Creative Writing Assignment Create an illustrated journal from the perspective of someone from the colonial-era: Students will be assigned a role Create a journal entry written to a loved one who lives far away Letters must have at least total 5 facts (gov’t, social, economic) Letters must have 1 picture Letters make 1 comparison to a person of a different role