1. Life in the Colonies
17th & 18th Century

2. A. Slavery

3. Introduction of Slavery
1st slaves arrive in VA in 1619
Not numerous because of price
Factors favoring slavery:
Self-renewing labor force
Price decreases/begins new industry
Caucasian superiority
By 1750, slavery legal in ALL colonies

4. Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)
Landless farmers forced to settle in Western VA
Had trouble with Natives
Governor Berkley sided with the Natives
Bacon & 1000 men attacked the Natives & burned the capital

5. Labor in the South Problem with Indentured Servants:
not easy to identify
would gain freedom
became landless poor
Colonies would turn to African slaves – more so after the 17th century
Middle Passage – trans-Atlantic trip from Africa

6. The Atlantic Slave Trade

7. Slave Codes Laws put into place to control the slaves Stated:
Africans & all children were property
Slaves could not be taught to read
Christianity or conversion were not grounds for freedom

8. Slave Revolts 10 or more slaves trying to gain freedom
Stono Rebellion (1739) – SC slaves trying to go to FL
80 Slaves
Killed or sold to
West Indies

9. B. Religion in
the Colonies

10. Half-Way Covenant (1662)
As population of New England grows, emphasis on religion declines
Church leaders designed a new formula for Church membership trying to increase participation
Would allow for “partial” membership
Did not have to have the conversion experience
Puritans trying to maintain control over New England

11. The Great Awakening (1730’s – 1740’s)
Enlightenment ideas decreased church attendance in ALL colonies
Great Awakening was a movement to bring religion back to ALL of the colonists
Jonathan Edwards preached “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”
Instead of predestination – promised repentance would equal salvation

12. C. Political Life
in the Colonies

13. Types of Colonies Royal Colonies NY, VA, GA, NH Proprietary
MD, PA, DE,
NC, SC, NJ
Charter
MA, CT, RI

14. Colonial Governments Governors: Two House Assemblies:
Appointed by those who controlled the colony
Had most of the power
Only weakness – legislature controlled their salary
Two House Assemblies:
Had limited power
Elected by property holding men
Local Government:
New England Town Meetings
Appointed Justices of the Peace in South
Elected County officials in Middle Colonies

15. Evolving Home Rule Began in New England
Dominion of New England rejected and overthrown
Navigation Acts ignored
Bacon’s Rebellion’s shows the potential of the lower classes

16. D. A Changing
Population

17. A Growing Population 1700 – 300,000 colonists
1775 – 2.5 million people
Increase due to natural reproduction & immigration
Growing Diversity
German
Scots-Irish
Irish

18. Stratification of Society
Upper Class:
Plantation Owners (South)
Wealthy Merchants, Lawyers, Clergy (North)
Middle Class:
Yeoman Farmers
Lower Class:
Tradesmen & Manual Laborers
Slaves
17thc colonists were on equal footing
18thc colonists were divided into a rigid social hierarchy

19. Gender Roles Men: Head of Family/Property Owner
In charge of “Outside Affairs”
Church
Politics
Law
Women
Few Legal Rights
Essential to well being of the Family
In charge of “Inside Affairs”
Child rearing
Cultivation of the Garden
Food Production/Preparation
Maintaining Home
Production of Clothing

20. E. Economy

21. Means of Living 80% of the population involved in agriculture by 1775
Humble lifestyles
Up at dawn
Bed at dusk
More Clerics, Physicians, Merchants and Jurists emerged in the 18th century
Americans had a higher standard of living than England

22. Triangular Trade
Trade with other areas of the world made the colonies a success
Known as Triangular Trade

23. Mercantilism The economy of colonies was to benefit the mother country
Colonies provided raw materials, mother country provided finished products
Compatible with the Middle and Southern economies, not with New England

24. The Navigation Acts (1650-1696)
Laws passed to enforce policy of Mercantilism
All foreign goods imported had taxes placed on them (tariffs)
All goods exported to foreign nations had taxes
Transportation had to be English
Enumerated goods: tobacco, rice, indigo, fur, skins, pine masts, tar, and resin could only be shipped to England

25. Molasses Act (1733) Tax placed on Molasses from foreign nations
The British had difficulty enforcing the tax
Colonists were outraged
Most colonial merchants turned to smuggling

26. Limitation of Competition
Britain also limited the industries that would compete with British industries.
Wool Act 1699
Hat Act of 1732
Iron Act of 1750

27. Salutary Neglect Policy of Robert Walpole
Believed that without interference, the economy of the English empire would run smoother
Stopped enforcing mercantilist laws
Allowed for peace and prosperity to last until 1763

28. F. An Informed
Society

29. Printing Presses Many printing presses allowed for newspapers
By 1775, there were 40 newspapers in the colonies
Best way to disseminate news (esp. in 1775)

30. John Peter Zenger Trial
Trial from
Case was about Zenger’s printing about the corrupt governor of NY
Accused of libel – even though he printed the truth
Victory! And gave us the idea of the freedom of the press