1. Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution
Chapter 5
Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution

2. Background on growing colonies
The colonists are doubling in population every 25 years! Shhhawing!
Population was mostly English, but many Germans in Pennsylvania, the Scots-Irish all across the Appalachians (fought against Natives with no remorse)
Paxton Boys (philly)- protest against quaker’s lenient policy toward Native Americans.
Michel-Guillaume de Crevecoeur said America is a “strange mixture of blood, which you will find in no other country”
Stratification begins to appear in the colonies: war made merchants rich. They profited from military supplies
A class of widows and orphans created due to war. Almshouses sprung up in Philly and NY
In the South, Huge gap between rich and slave. But few whites were rich. The rest (majority) were tenant farmers. Slaves were at the bottom of the totem pole with no rights. Whites always scared of a rebellion.
Most honored = ministers. Doctors were not looked highly upon. They bled patients. Plagues were rampant
FOUR WORLD – PLAGUES : This got people ready for Great Awakening
Colonies got rich off of commerce and land speculation.
Triangle Trade: new England rum goes to Africa. African trades for slaves. Then takes slaves to west indies to exchange for molasses, which he would carry back to New England, where it’ll be distilled into rum.
Tons of lumber from New England
Tar, pitch, rosin, and turpentine were necessary to build boats and Old England pushed for these.

3. Triangular Trade

4. Problem: Trade Imbalance
Fast-breeding Americans demanded more English products ---- yet the slow-breeding old English population didn’t need anymore of our product.
How could the colonists sell the goods to make the money to buy what they wanted in England?

5. Answer: Foreign Trade
Colonists filled pipes in France with tobacco from the Chesapeake
Did tons of trade with the French in the West Indies by providing them with food stuffs and timber
Molasses Act – tried to stop North American trade with the French West Indies. This would ruin the colonists’ standard of living. But colonists bribed and smuggled their way around the law.
(Which Theme? Headstrong Americans revolt rather than submit)

6. Roads in Colonial America
Roads were horrible and did not connect major cities until Using waterways was faster.
Taverns popped along the roadside and were important because politics were discussed there while men get their drank on.
Four Worlds: Tavern

7. Dominant Denominations
Anglican Church & Congressional Church
Anglican was more worldly, less strict, sermons shorter. (Church of England)
Congregational Church (Puritan) preached rebellion in political issues from the pulpit. Anglicans were tied closer to the King and supported him.
Many Americans had no place of worship and it was all good

8. The Great Awakening

10. The Great Awakening (1730s-40s)
People were getting less passionate about God than 100 years earlier. Bored people, idea of saving yourself through good works, Arminians (individual free will determines your fate, not God)
Life gets easy, they forget about God.
Great Awakening started in Northampton, Massachusetts by Jonathan Edwards. Was against salvation through good works and we need to depend on God’s grace. Described hell and eternal torments
“Sinners in the hands of an angry God.” – Edwards
George Whitefield – voice boomed over thousands saying humans are helpless. Emotional and theatrical revivals
Even Native Americans and slaves came to these meetings. This founded new schools like Princeton, Brown, Rutgers, and Dartmouth.
First significant mass movement of the American people.
Helped Americans break down sectional boundaries and realize they are united as one, by common history and experiences.

11. Schools and Colleges
School is only for the aristocrats, not for commoners, and for males
In Puritan New England, it was for religious reasons so that everyone could be able to read the bible (be an individual worshiper and not rely on the priest)
Most schools were all about doctrine and dogma, not on experiment and reason
Ben Franklin - helped start Upenn – first univ free from denominational control

12. Culture and the Arts discouraged – Who has time for this when you need to chop down trees? The invention of the devil
John Trumbull – Connecticut
Charles Willson Peale – Portrait of G. Washington
Benjamin West
John Singleton Copley
Phillis Wheatley – slave girl who published a book of poems
Benjamin Franklin – wrote autobiography and “Poor Richard’s Almanack,” showed that lighting is a form of electricity

13. John Trumbell - Painter

14. Charles Wilson Peale

15. Benjamin West

16. John Singleton Copley

17. Phillis Wheatley

18. Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack
“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” 
“A friend in need is a friend indeed!” 
“Wine...a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.” 
Any society that will give up a little liberty for a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” 

19. Pioneer Presses Americans were too poor to buy books.
Hand-operated printing presses cranked out pamphlets, leaflets, and journals. The colonial newspapers served as a powerful agency for airing colonial grievances and get people rallied up against the British
John Peter Zenger ( ) – his newspaper attacked the corrupt royal governor. Zenger was charged with seditious libel. He was defended by Alexander Hamilton (ex-indentured servant) got him a victory for freedom of the press
Allowed more public discussion. Helped establish doctrine that true statements about public officials could not be prosecuted as libel.
Four Worlds – John Peter Zenger case