1. Do Now Complete the Do Now.
When complete, get out your materials and wait quietly for it to be picked up.

2. Grade 7 American History Estelle School
Colonial Society
Grade 7 American History
Estelle School

3. Key Terms Domestic Prospect Extended Family Apprentice Gentry
Middle Class
Indentured Servant

4. Objectives Learn about life on colonial farms
Describe the roles of men, women, and children in colonial America
List the class differences that existed in colonial society

5. Prediction
Where did most colonial Americans live?
Farms Cities

6. The Colonial Family Most lived on farms Less lived in cities or towns
Usually with their extended family
Whole family contributed to work on the farm or in the house
Less lived in cities or towns
Easier for single men and women to live
Most single men and women worked as servants

7. Legal position of Women
Arranged marriages
No property rights after marriage
Could not vote

8. Young People Very little formal education Began to work at age seven
Boys worked the fields
Girls worked in the house
Worked as servants if poor
Some boys went off to work as apprentices to learn trades
Make shoes
Build furniture
Blacksmith

9. The Gentry Wealthy Didn’t work Owned lots of land Loaned $ to others
Politicians

10. The Middle Class Majority of colonial population
Neither rich nor poor
Differed greatly from rest of world
Worked a variety of professions
Small planters
Independent farmers
Artisans

11. Indentured Servants vs. Slaves
Indentured Servitude was temporary
Slavery was permanent, unless freed
Servants were entitled to things when they free
Slaves had nothing when freed

12. African Americans in Colonies
Not all were slaves
60,000 free
Some owned slaves
Majority enslaved
750,000 enslaved in 1790

13. Summary Why was a large family useful on a farm?
How did the jobs of boys and girls differ?
How might one become a member of the middle class?

14. Activity Begin working on guided reading
This due completed in your portfolio by the end of the week