1. Chapter 4:
Life in the Colonies

2. OuR Govt. words

3. Chapter Essential ?
How did colonial life take shape?

4. Colonial Legislatures
By 1760, every British colony in North America had a legislature of some kind.

5. The Right to Vote
50 to 75% of white males in American Colonies could vote.
Who couldn’t vote?
Women
- Native Americans
- African Americans: Free or Enslaved

6. Freedom of the Press
Right of journalists to publish the truth without restriction or penalty.
Libel- or the publishing of statements that damage a person’s reputation.
Modern law = statements must be untrue to be considered libel.
Colonial law= punished writings that criticized the government even if statements were true.

7. Peter Zenger
“There are two sorts of Monarchies; an absolute and a limited one. In the first, the Liberty of Press can never be maintained”

8. Regulating Trade Navigation Acts
Shipments from Europe to colonies had to go to England first
Any good shipped to England had to be on ships built and owned by British subjects.
Could only sell key products such as tobacco and sugar to England.
Navigation Acts

9. Slavery in the Colonies

10. S L A V E R Y

11. Middle Passage
The crossing of slaves across the Atlantic.

12. Triangular Trade
Was a three way trade between the colonies, the islands of the Caribbean, and Africa.

14. Why Did Slave Trade Take Root
1. Plantation system- profits from tobacco and rice led planters to import 1000’s of enslaved Africans to work.
2. Southern economy depended on it.
3. Indentured servants were temporary; slaves were permanent.

15. Slave Codes Could not meet in large groups.
Own weapons or leave plantations without permission.
Illegal to teach slaves to read or write.
Masters who killed slaves could not be tried for murder.