1. Chapter 5: Life in the American Colonies
U.S. History
Chapter 5: Life in the American Colonies
Lesson 3: Culture and Society

2. Essential Question
I n w h a t w a y s w a s a n A m e r i c a n c u l t u r e d e v e l o p i n g d u r i n g t h e c o l o n i a l P e r i o d ?
In what ways was an American culture developing during the colonial period?

3. Section 2-Polling Question
Which part of a culture defines it the most?
A. Religion
B. Education
C. Family roles A B C

4. Life in the Colonies In the America’s, settlers faced new challenges.
The old ways of doing things no longer worked
People began doing things in different ways – their own way

5. Life in the Colonies Still continued to grow Immigration increased
,000
1770’s- 2,500,000
African Americans- 28,000 to more than 500,000
Large families
Colonial women married young and had many children

6. Many women died during childbirth
Outbreaks of small pox
Epidemics – large outbreaks of disease

7. Family Roles Men were the head of the household
Men worked in the fields, built barns, houses, and fences
Sons could be indentured servants or apprentices
Apprentice – a person trained by a skilled craftsman

8. Family Roles Women ran the household and cared for the children
Many worked in the fields with their husbands
Married women had few rights
Unmarried women might work for wealthy families as a maid
Widows might be teachers, nurses, or seamstresses
Widows or unmarried could run business and own property
Women could not vote

9. Education Parents taught children to read and write
New England and Pennsylvania set up schools to learn to read and study the Bible
1647- Massachusetts Puritans passed a public education law
Each community with 50 or more homes were required to have a school
By New England had a high literacy rate (85% of men)
Night schools were set up for apprentices
Colleges were set up to train ministers
Puritans set up Harvard in 1626

10. Which was the first college in North America? A. William and Mary
Section 2
Which was the first college in North America?
A. William and Mary
B. Princeton
C. Harvard
D. University of Virginia A B C D

11. The First Great Awakening
A religious revival through the colonies from the 1720’s-1740’s
New England and Middle Colonies ministers called for “a new birth”
Leaders were Jonathon Edwards and George Whitefield
Led to the formation of many new churches

12. The Enlightenment
Many educated people were influenced by the Enlightenment
Based on the idea that knowledge, reason, and science could improve society
Interest in science increased
People observed nature, staged experiments, and published findings
Best known American scientist was Ben Franklin

13. The Enlightenment also brought about ideas of
freedom of thought and expression
Equality
Popular government

14. Freedom of Press Newspapers carried news about politics
Often the government did not like what newspapers wrote and censored them
Publishers fought this censorship.
Their battle helped a free press to grow in the colonies and continue in the United States.

15. Freedom of Press
1735- John Peter Zenger of the New York Weekly Journal was charged with libel
Printed a critical report about the royal governor of New York
Zenger’s lawyer (Andrew Hamilton) argued that freedom of speech was a basic English right
Hamilton told the jury to make their decision on whether Zenger printed the truth, not whether it was offensive
Jury found Zenger not guilty
Important step in the development of a free press in America

16. Distinct religious and educational ideas contributed to the culture
Essential Question
In what ways was an American culture developing during the colonial period?
- The colonists adopted ideas of limited government and representative government.
Distinct religious and educational ideas contributed to the culture
Family was the basis of society
Interest in science and invention grew
Freedom of press was defended
I n w h a t w a y s w a s a n A m e r i c a n c u l t u r e d e v e l o p i n g d u r i n g t h e c o l o n i a l P e r i o d ?

17. Chapter 5 Section 2

18. Most colonists placed a high value on education.
True
False

19. The Enlightenment was a religious movement.
True
False

20. The case involving John Peter Zenger was an important step in establishing free press in America.
True
False

21. What is the name of the first college founded in North America?
Harvard
Cambridge
William and Mary
Yale

22. Date ________ Class _________ Name: ____________________
Which of the following means producing just enough to meet the families' needs, with little left over to sell or exchange?
harvesting
subsistence farming
cash crop
Tidewater farming
The most inhumane aspect of
the triangular trade was the
Southern Route.
merchant trade route.
Middle Passage.
fishing trade.
Where were most of the large
Southern plantations located?
backcountry
Tidewater
coastal areas
flatlands
The plantation bosses who kept the enslaved Africans working hard were called
overseers.
slaveholders.
employers.
supervisors.
Which group controlled the economic and political life of the Southern Colonies?
merchants
teachers
farmers
plantation owners
Date ________ Class _________
Name: ____________________
Chapter 5 Lesson 1
1. ____ 2. _____ 3. _____ 4. _____ 5. _____