1. Eve of the Revolution Chapter 5
AP US History
Michael Perreault
Gloucester High School

2. Colonial Population Growth
1700 less than 300,000
Million (400,000 slaves)
Colonists were doubling population every 25 years
1700 English subjects to colonists 20:1
1775 3:1
Only 4 major cities Philadelphia, Boston, New York, and Charleston
90% still lived in rural areas

3. Immigrants add to the Population
Colonial America was a melting pot
Germans: Penn (Religious persecution, Economic difficulties and war)
Lutherans (more religious diversity) Penn. Dutch = ⅓ of population
Scots-Irish: non-English but spoke English, first settlers West, then south into
Maryland and Virginia
Became excellent frontiersmen

4. Scots Attitudes Disdain for law, individualistic
No love for the British
Brought distilling of Whiskey
1764 Paxton Boys marched on Philadelphia
Later begin Regulator Movement

5. Mingling of the Ethnicities
Other groups: French, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, Swiss and Scottish Highlanders (There can be only one)
1775 Largest single group: Africans 20% of Colonial population, 90% in South
Because of strict religious nature, New England had least ethnic diversity
Middle colonies had the most white immigrants
Besides New England ½ colonial population was non-English

7. Social Classes begin to emerge
While still a land of unparalleled opportunity and relative equality, social classes began emerging
Wars created merchant lords to provide goods to both sides especially in New England and Middle Colonies
Widows and orphans became more commonplace
New England: heirs got smaller plots of land, children hired out as wage laborers
South: Great plantations dominated and owned vast percentage of slaves creating more product→ more export → more wealth

8. Lower class Homeless poor in New England Freed indentured servants
Paupers and convicts involuntarily shipped to colonies (50,000)
Some achieved success
Two former indentured servants became signers of the Declaration of Independence

9. Slaves No equality even if one was a “free black”
Continual stream of transatlantic trade
While vast amount of them ended up in the South, New England profited through the transportation of slaves

10. Professions
Most respected: Christian Ministers though would wield less influence as time went on
Physicians: poorly trained, 1st med school 1765
Law was not a respected field (originally)
90% agriculture
Fishing New England and coast
Lumbering and Ship building

11. Trade
Commercial manufacturing was hampered though domestic output was strong
Strong labor and skilled labor was highly prized and scarce
1733 Molasses Act aimed at squelching trade with French West Indies
Leading to revolt instead of listening to Parliament so very far away

12. Triangular
Trade
John Adams concluded that West Indies trade was vital to the development of American economy

13. Gatherings and information distribution
1700 Few intercolonial roads terrible condition
Populations clustered on navigable rivers
Taverns arose as primary sources of gossip and news
Became areas to galvanize public opinion and hotbeds of agitation
Mid 1700s intercolonial postal system

14. Churches 1775 Two “established” or tax supported churches
Anglican (Church of England) didn’t suport the King’s authority as it did in Britain
Congregational in New England struggled under doctrine and liberalizing of membership
Church membership in colonies declining
Hell was a less threatening place

15. The Great Awakening
Arminianism: All humans could be saved by free accepting God’s grace
Runs counter to the concept of the elect
Clerical intellectualism and Lay liberalism drained the spiritual vitality
s Jonathan Edwards delivered Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God warning people of the dangers that awaited them
George Whitefield evangelical preaching ignited the spiritual fire of coloniats

16. Reactions/Impacts
Old Lights Orthodox Clergy who were skeptical of the emotionalism and theatrics
New Lights Defended the Awakening for revitalizing American religion
Direct connection to God undermined clergy authority
Split denominations creating religious competition
Encouraged new waves of missionary work
Founding of colleges

17. Schools and Colleges
Originally for the aristocracy (particularly in South) because of geography wealthy used private tutors
Education was for leadership not citizenship
New England education was to be for the public (to a point) later secondary education more common
Higher education for clergy: goal: good Christians not citizens: Doctrine not Experimentation
By 1750s more secular approach in evidence “live” languages and modern subjects

18. Culture Art was still decidedly British
Painters: were portrait based including, Turnbull, Peale, West, and Copley
Architecture: imported and modified, 1720s red brick Georgian style
Literature: Poor Richard’s Almanack (Franklin)
Poetry: Phillis Wheatley
Science: Aside from Franklin, minimal advancement

19. Reading in the colonies
Most too poor/too busy to buy and or read books
public libraries
Franklin established Philadelphia Public Library
Byrd family in Virgiaia largest private collection: 4,000 volumes

20. Printing Presses Pamphlets, leaflets and journals 1776 40 Newspapers
Airing of grievances or rallying support
Zenger Trial ( ) assailed a corrupt governor, stated that truth could not be considered libel
Established principle of freedom of the press

21. Politics
Colonies: Royal governors, 3 Proprietary chose, 2 Conn & RI, had self governing charters, all used a 2 house legislature
Upper House appointed by crown or proprietor
Lower House elected by the people
Taxation through representation a cherished privilege
London tended to leave the colonial governor to the legislature: control of the purse frustrated colonists

22. Local government Differed by region
South: County gov, dominated by plantations
New England: Town meeting 1775 Religious and property qualifications still dictated voting rights
Middle: Amalgam
Fearful upperclass: unwilling to give the vote to everyone meaning about half adult white males were voteless

23. Life Drab and tedious Food: plentiful but monotonous
Amusement was pursued where time and custom allowed
Colonies stitched together by common origins, loosely common beliefs religious, economic, and political particularly, self-rule
Setting the stage for a struggle to unite