1. Chapter 4 : American Life In the seventeenth century

3. Chesapeake – Political
Structure similar to county courts in England
Governor’s appointed by England
Ex – William Berkeley
They appointed a council – taxes and local rules
House of Burgesses – lower house
Elected by the “people”
Appointed a governor’s council

4. Chesapeake - Economic Tobacco  successful and profitable
Creation of plantation system
Need for large labor force
Indentured servants
Headright system
Bacon’s Rebellion
Slavery
African slavery grew from Royal African Company – then colonists joined -
Some gained freedom until early 1700s
Middle Passage
By 1750 – half population in VA = slave
Reasons for growth – wage increases, new crops, longer life expectancy, increased demand for labor
Established slave codes

5. Chesapeake – Social Mostly men Teens and early 20s
Few women and families
Late 17th century – eventual population boom
Looser gender roles
A bit more diverse - German and Scots Irish
Strict hierarchy
Wealthy plantation owners
Not as bougie as English
Small farmers
Working and Freed indentured servants
Slaves
Some cities had professional class, but most of South followed strict hierarchy

6. Chesapeake – Other Geography and Environment Swamp
Disease – short life expectancy

7. New England – Political
Colonial legislature handed out land to town leaders to begin new towns
Church in the middle and all homes around it
Politics organized within the Church
Each family given land
All land owning men voted
Militias established for each town
Becomes birth place of Revolution and abolition

8. New England - Economic Some farming Fishing Clearing woodlands
Pastureland and livestock
Tradesmen
Shipping and ship building

9. New England – Social Family oriented
Married early – LOTS OF BABIES!!!!! (and death….for the mothers and some babies)
Strict gender roles
Strict spheres of influence and laws
Structured social order – church – somewhat democratic
Land ownership went through church
Education mandatory – public schools – Harvard
Not very ethnically diverse

10. New England – Other Geography and Environment
Not as fertile, but “cleaner” and easier to live in
Fewer disease – longer life expectancy
Religion
Congregational Church
Slowed religious growth after 1st generation  Half-way Covenant
Opened up to more democratic looking society
Women many churchgoers
Salem Witch Trials
Protestant Work Ethic – self-reliance and structured New England towns = significance of this region on US History

11. Similarities Most people who arrived not super rich or poor
Everyone had to work
Life not easy and based on seasons and the sun
Most people farmers
Men worked outside, women worked inside, and children helped where they could