Colonial Life

Aim & Essential Question: -To understand that the thirteen colonies had similarities and differences. They can be seen based on six components: Reasons for settlement, geography and climate, settlers, government, economy, and religion. Essential Question: What were the similarities and differences among the colonies in North America?

Massachusetts Early 1600s: MA was very important to England Separatist were the Pilgrims who wanted to build their idea of a perfect society in America Mayflower Compact- signed an agreement and created laws on how to live in the colony Pilgrims landed in Plymouth near Cape Cod

The Pilgrims The local Native Americans welcomed the Pilgrims Native Americans taught them how to plant crops, hunt, and fish. They wouldn’t have survived the winter without the help of the American Indians 1621- First Thanksgiving

MA continued: 10 years later: the king of England wrote a charter that allowed more Puritans to come over after the 1st Pilgrims Build a community based on the Bible Hope to set an example for the rest of the world

WEB ORGANIZER Founders: Pilgrims led by William Bradford (1620) & Puritans led by John Winthrop (1630) Religion: Puritan Settlers: Puritans escaping religious persecution Climate: Harsh winters and warm summers Geography: sandy coast with good ports, rich pastures, and forests Economy: crop and livestock farming, lumbering, shops, and ship building Gov’t: self- governing with strong religious influence

Rhode Island Puritans in MA did not grant religious freedom to others- the gov’t required everyone in the colony to worship like they did. Roger Williams preached differently- he was put on trial 1636- he fled and moved southward Bought land from Native Americans and called it: Providence (means guidance and care of God)

Rhode Island cont. Anne Hutchinson: was also kicked out of MA She and her family joined Williams and created a settlement called Portsmouth 1647- all these settlements joined together and called their colony Rhode Island 1663- gov’t- assembly governed the colony Largest slave trade center in the world at the time AST helped make the fortuned of some of the wealthiest families in New England.

Web Organizer: Founders: Roger Williams and Anne Hutchison Settlers: People seeking religious freedom Climate: Hot and humid summers---cold and snowy winters Geography: coastal lowlands, flat and rocky woodlands Economy: farming (large cattle and dairy farms), lumbering, shipbuilding, fishing, whaling, AST Religion: Various faiths Gov’t: self-governing

Connecticut Not all Puritans shared exactly the same ideas and beliefs Thomas Hooker- a Puritan clergyman didn’t always agree with the laws and leadership in MA Moved 100 people and family along the river to the West Fertile valley-called the community Hartford and joined two other settlements already there- called it CT

Gov’t in CT Fundamental Orders: based on “the free consent of the people.” “The choice of public officials by God’s allowance.” Guaranteed the right to vote to all men who were members of the Puritan Church/ Other Puritans formed a separate colony nearby called New Haven (gov’t based on the “word of God” laws were stricter_

Uh OH! Neither of these colonies were legally authorized by the king of England. 1662: King Charles II granted a charter for a new Connecticut colony that included New Haven

Web Organizer: Founder: Thomas Hooker Settlers: Puritans seeking a new settlement Climate: cold winters & mild summers Geography: Forested hills and a sea coast Economy: Farming (crops/livestock), shipbuilding, fishing, and whaling Gov’t: written constitution--- Fundamental Orders (self-governing) Religion: Puritan

New York The English took control of the settlement of New Netherland (from the Dutch) in 1664. The English renamed the colony New York in honor of its new proprietor (owner)—James--Duke of York. The Duke of York gave huge chunks of his colony to two of his friends (Sir George Carteret and Lord John Berkeley)-- these men est. the colony of NJ.

NY cont. Expectations: NY to run as a money making business colony Issued his own laws and decided what New Yorkers should pay in taxes. Landowners approved this way of doing things Farmers, fishers, and tradespeople did not They demanded the right to elect an assembly to make laws for NY Duke of York disagreed

What Happened? After years of protest, the duke finally allowed New Yorkers to elect an assembly in 1683. 1st assembly passed 15 laws VERY IMPORTANT PART: a charter listing a number of rights that most colonists thought they should have as English citizens. Right to elect their own lawmakers, right to trial by jury, & right to worship as they pleased

How did the Duke of York react? When he found out what the assembly had done, he abolished it New Yorkers did not get a new assembly until they rebelled in 1689 Jacob Leisler was elected commander in chief of a democratic council that governed until 1691. NY- finally granted the right to elect an assembly with the power to pass laws and set taxes for the colony

Graphic Organizer Founders: Dutch West India Company (1624) & James Duke of York (1664) Settlers: Dutch and English seeking new lives Climate: Cold, snowy winters; hot, humid summers Geography: Wetlands along the coast and Hudson River, forested mountains to the North Economy: Fur-trapping, lumbering, shipping, AST, merchants and tradesmen, farming, iron mining Religion: Various faiths Gov’t: Br-appointed governor and council alternating with elected assembly

Pennsylvania William Penn asked King Charles II to let him est. a colony in America King had two good reasons for granting Penn’s request. First: he could repay a large debt he owed to Penn’s father Second: He could get rid of William

William Penn Was a member of the Society of Friends or Quakers Quakers believed in a simple lifestyle and in treating all people equally. They refused to bow before the king, fight in wars, or pay taxes to the Church of England. 1668: Charles II threw Penn in jail hoping to stop him from preaching. Penn continued to preach after he was released from jail.

William Penn cont. He advertised his colony all over Europe. Great Law of 1682- promise that people of all faiths would be treated equally. Quote on page 55. Penn names his capital city Philadelphia (city of brotherly love). He wrote documents of gov’t that made PA the first democracy in America.

Maryland Family enterprise Sir George Calvert, named Lord Baltimore by King James I. Was Roman Catholic Calvert wanted to start a colony in North America. Quote on page 56.

Maryland cont Calvert was also a business man; hoped the colony would make his family prosperous (wealthy) Unfortunately, Calvert died while he was bargaining with the king for a charter. King Charles I granted a charter for the colony to Calvert’s son Cecil. The charter gave the Calvert’s complete control of the colony and they called it Maryland.

Maryland con’t To make money for the colony Cecil wanted to attract both protestant and catholic settlers. Second Quote: Page 56 Cecil named his brother Leonard to be governor. Leonard expedition arrived in Maryland in 1634. Built St. Mary City. 1635: Leonard agreed to let Maryland elect a general assembly to govern the colony.

Maryland cont. 1649: America’s first law guaranteeing religious liberty; The Act Concerning Religion ( to protect the rights of Catholics and other Christians.) Despite the act, Protestants and Catholics did not trust each other and constantly tug-of-war for over a century. At the same time the family lost and regained power over the colony several times.

Virginia Jamestown By 1700 the descendants of the early settlers were wealthy land owners and the most important people in VA. Economy: Based on tobacco. Indentured Servants: These workers helped on the plantations for 5-7 years. (men, women and children were indentured servants)

VA cont. First Africans brought to VA were indentured servants. Same rights and freedoms as white servants. Eventually planters turned to slaves to solve their labor problem. Slaves brought from Africa cost twice as much as servants.

VA gov’t Elected assembly called House of Burgesses- 1619 1661: HOB passed a law that made African workers slaves for life. By 1700 VA had more than 16,000 enslaved Africans (1/4 of the colony’s population) VA- slavery became a way of life

Georgia 13th and last colony Founded by a group of English business men. Wanted to help poor people in England stay out of debtors’ prison. James Oglethorpe inspired wealthy Englishmen to give money to est. the colony where poor people could have better lives instead of going to jail.

GA cont. King George II and his gov’t liked this plan because GA colony would keep the Spanish from moving north out of Florida. Not many poor people actually came to GA. Colonists who went in 1732 with Oglethorpe were more adventurers. Protestants, Catholics, and Jews came to GA to search for religious freedom.

Life in GA Life was not easy. The Spanish cont. to attack new settlements in GA because they wanted control. The colonists in GA continuously fought back without any help from other British colonies. Oglethorpe had specific ideas on how the colonists should live. Laws against drinking, and owning slaves, small farms and had to farm the land themselves.

Colonists Reaction Settlers were not happy by this. Wanted to farm large plantations and own slaves like wealthy planters in other southern colonies. Disliked Oglethorpe’s rules as well. After 12 years of governing the colony Oglethorpe returned to England. 1752- People of GA elected an assembly.