Colonial America

The Growth of the American Colonies

Mr. Chabot

Progression by time period (Era)

Native American settlement European Exploration European Settlement Colonial Growth

An Empire and its Colonies

Terms/Definitions

Mercantilism – a country should try to obtain and keep as much bullion, or gold and silver, as possible

Balance of Trade – the difference in value between imports and exports

Duty – a tax

Con’t….

Salutary neglect – Great Britain’s policy of not interfering in the American colonies politics and economy as long as such neglect served British economic interests

Staple crop – crops that are constantly in demand

Triangular Trade – trade between the America’s, Europe, and Africa

Why did England pay little attention to the colonies between 1600 and mid 1700’s

2 Reasons: – The Civil War that raged in Great Britain– England was getting what it wanted out of the

colonies, and it lacked the power to control the colonies tightly b/c they were so far away

Why did England prize their colonies?

1.) colonies produced large amounts of food and raw materials

2.) colonists were buying large amounts of English goods

How did staple crops affect the growth and settlement of the Southern Colonies?

Staple crops required a large amount of land

The land needed more manual labor, therefore, slavery increased greatly

The South as a result became land full of plantations along rivers and coastlines, with only a few towns and a small group of merchants

Colonial LifeColonial Life

Benjamin Franklin John Harvard

Terms/Definitions Terms/Definitions

Gentry – men and women wealthy Gentry – men and women wealthy enough to hire people to work for themenough to hire people to work for them

Apprentice – people placed under a Apprentice – people placed under a legal contract to work for another legal contract to work for another person in exchange for learning a person in exchange for learning a trade.trade.

Almanac – a book containing Almanac – a book containing information such as calendars, weather information such as calendars, weather predictions, advice, wise sayings, etc.predictions, advice, wise sayings, etc.

Con’t…Con’t…

Indigo – a type of plant used in Indigo – a type of plant used in making a blue dye for cloth. It was making a blue dye for cloth. It was one of the major staple crop of South one of the major staple crop of South CarolinaCarolina

Self-sufficient – to be able to make Self-sufficient – to be able to make everything that is needed to everything that is needed to maintain your lifemaintain your life

Why do you think the role Why do you think the role of an apprentice is so of an apprentice is so

important?important? ans: Apprentices contributed to the ans: Apprentices contributed to the

expansion of the economy because expansion of the economy because their training involved assisting their training involved assisting artisans in the manufacture of fine artisans in the manufacture of fine glassware, furniture, and other high glassware, furniture, and other high quality items for purchase by the quality items for purchase by the gentrygentry

How were children How were children educated in the colonies?educated in the colonies?

Ans: Some children were educated Ans: Some children were educated at home. In the New England at home. In the New England colonies, boys could attend public colonies, boys could attend public schools, while girls were educated at schools, while girls were educated at home by their mothers. In the home by their mothers. In the Southern Colonies, plantation Southern Colonies, plantation owners often hired private owners often hired private instructors to teach their childreninstructors to teach their children

Colonial Education Colonial Education con’t…con’t…

To show the new found importance on an To show the new found importance on an education for children, Massachusetts education for children, Massachusetts passed a law in 1647 that stated any town passed a law in 1647 that stated any town having more than 50 families had to have having more than 50 families had to have either a school or a schoolmaster to teach either a school or a schoolmaster to teach children.children.

Higher education was primarily for Higher education was primarily for teaching ministers and lawyers. Most teaching ministers and lawyers. Most people didn’t go beyond basic schoolingpeople didn’t go beyond basic schooling

There were only 3 colleges up until the There were only 3 colleges up until the 1740’s: William and Mary, Harvard, and 1740’s: William and Mary, Harvard, and YaleYale

Why did everyone in the Why did everyone in the average colonial household average colonial household

have to work?have to work? Ans: because a great deal of labor Ans: because a great deal of labor

was usually required to maintain the was usually required to maintain the household by producing food and household by producing food and goodsgoods

Is there a link between this necessity Is there a link between this necessity and slavery?and slavery?

If you are a wealthy planter, would If you are a wealthy planter, would your children have to work? If yes, your children have to work? If yes, why? If no, who would in their place?why? If no, who would in their place?

The nature of workThe nature of work In the 1700’s, life was better for a white In the 1700’s, life was better for a white

colonist in the America’s than it was in Europecolonist in the America’s than it was in Europe For this reason, among others, the population For this reason, among others, the population

steadily grew in the colonies as people steadily grew in the colonies as people Colonists ate better, lived better and longer, as Colonists ate better, lived better and longer, as

well as had large numbers of children to help well as had large numbers of children to help with the farm life/workwith the farm life/work

All family members had a hand in the success All family members had a hand in the success of the household, and all had to pull their own of the household, and all had to pull their own weightweight

The basic goal of the household is to be self-The basic goal of the household is to be self-sufficientsufficient

Triangular TradeTriangular Trade

The triangle of trade The Transatlantic Slave Trade consisted of three The Transatlantic Slave Trade consisted of three

journeys:journeys: The outward passage from Europe to Africa The outward passage from Europe to Africa

carrying manufactured goods. carrying manufactured goods. The middle passage from Africa to the Americas The middle passage from Africa to the Americas

or the Caribbean carrying African captives and or the Caribbean carrying African captives and other 'commodities’. other 'commodities’.

The homeward passage carrying sugar, tobacco, The homeward passage carrying sugar, tobacco, rum, rice, cotton and other goods back to Europe.rum, rice, cotton and other goods back to Europe.

African Americans in the African Americans in the ColoniesColonies

Middle Passage – one leg of the triangular Middle Passage – one leg of the triangular trade routes between the America’s, trade routes between the America’s, Europe, and Africa. This leg was the Europe, and Africa. This leg was the crossing of the Atlantic Oceancrossing of the Atlantic Ocean

Middle PassageMiddle Passage

The Middle Passage was a breeding The Middle Passage was a breeding ground for diseases due to the long ground for diseases due to the long length of the trip, as well as the tight length of the trip, as well as the tight quarters, heat, exhaustion, and the quarters, heat, exhaustion, and the abundance of human waste (no abundance of human waste (no sanitation)sanitation)

Anywhere from 20-40 % of the Africans Anywhere from 20-40 % of the Africans would become sick and/or die during would become sick and/or die during their trip through the Middle Passagetheir trip through the Middle Passage

African American’s in the African American’s in the ColoniesColonies

African American population:African American population:

YearYear New New EnglandEngland

Middle Middle ColoniesColonies

Southern Southern ColoniesColonies

16901690 950950 2,4722,472 13,30713,307

17001700 1,6801,680 3,6613,661 22,47622,476

17101710 2,5852,585 6,2186,218 36,06336,063

17201720 3,9563,956 10,82510,825 54,05854,058

17301730 6,1186,118 11,68311,683 73,22073,220

17401740 8,5418,541 16,45216,452 125,031125,031

17501750 10,98210,982 20,73620,736 204,702204,702

Rice plantationsRice plantations

In colonies such as South Carolina and In colonies such as South Carolina and Georgia, rice plantations prospered.Georgia, rice plantations prospered.

Rice is most efficiently grown on very Rice is most efficiently grown on very large tracts of land, and as a result, there large tracts of land, and as a result, there were a great number of plantations that were a great number of plantations that had over 100 slaves on ithad over 100 slaves on it

Due to the large amount of Africans, they Due to the large amount of Africans, they were able to preserve some of their were able to preserve some of their culture through their constant interaction culture through their constant interaction and the large number of peopleand the large number of people

Free BlacksFree Blacks Slave laws discouraged people from being Slave laws discouraged people from being

freefree Some laws either prevented their freedom or Some laws either prevented their freedom or

forced them to leave after their freedomforced them to leave after their freedom Most free blacks still had to work on the fields, Most free blacks still had to work on the fields,

as it was one of their only skills and the only as it was one of their only skills and the only work availablework available

Many free blacks were worse off than Many free blacks were worse off than enslaved blacks economically because they enslaved blacks economically because they had no link to white households, and they had no link to white households, and they faced limited rights compared to the other faced limited rights compared to the other free people, whitesfree people, whites

African American LawsAfrican American Laws

Slave laws varied between regionsSlave laws varied between regions These laws were constantly revised to These laws were constantly revised to

further control slavesfurther control slaves Slaves would need a pass to move about Slaves would need a pass to move about

off of the grounds of the plantationoff of the grounds of the plantation Punishments including whipping, Punishments including whipping,

banishment to the West Indies, and deathbanishment to the West Indies, and death Laws that restricted the movement of Laws that restricted the movement of

slaves made organizing a rebellion very slaves made organizing a rebellion very difficultdifficult

Stono Rebellion 1739 Other Stono Rebellion 1739 Other RebellionsRebellions

Several dozen slaves near Several dozen slaves near Charleston, SC, killed more Charleston, SC, killed more than 20 whitesthan 20 whites

The slaves burned the The slaves burned the armory and began marching armory and began marching towards Spanish Florida, towards Spanish Florida, where a small colony of where a small colony of runaway slaves livedrunaway slaves lived

Armed planters captured Armed planters captured and killed all of the rebel and killed all of the rebel slavesslaves

NYC passed strict laws to try NYC passed strict laws to try to prevent rebellionsto prevent rebellions

After a 1741 revolt in NYC, After a 1741 revolt in NYC, 13 African were burned alive 13 African were burned alive as punishmentas punishment

There were over 50 There were over 50 documented rebellions b/t documented rebellions b/t 1740 and 1800, and 1740 and 1800, and countless others that were countless others that were not documentednot documented

What does that tell you What does that tell you about the treatment of about the treatment of slaves and their thirst for slaves and their thirst for freedom?freedom?

Slave resistance, contSlave resistance, cont

Most slaves opposed Most slaves opposed slavery and resisted slavery and resisted through individual actions: through individual actions: pretending to pretending to misunderstand orders, misunderstand orders, faking illnesses, running faking illnesses, running away, etcaway, etc

Although these actions Although these actions didn’t give slaves freedom, didn’t give slaves freedom, it gave them personal it gave them personal satisfaction to resist, as well satisfaction to resist, as well as giving them a degree of as giving them a degree of control over their own lives control over their own lives (even if for a short time)(even if for a short time)

Emerging Tensions By the mid 1700’s, population was increasing

rapidly, almost doubling over a 25 year period Immigrant – people who enter a new country to

settle Migrate - movement Due to increased populations, people began to

migrate and settle area’s farther from the shore ( more inland, towards the Appalachian Mountains)

Some of the land that was being settled belonged to Native Americans (who would have guessed!), and as a result tensions grew.

Tensions Emerge French settlers and Native Americans

increasingly came into contact with each other as the settlers migrated westward

As settlers moved to land already occupied by Native Americans, those Native Americans were forced to relocate to other areas that already settled by other Native Americans

Tensions Emerge The new wave of English settlers alarmed the

French and Native Americans The British were trying to expand by building new

trading posts The French responded by building trading posts

themselves, including one in Erie, PA The French attacked a British post nearby Erie,

PA, and killed those defending the post

Tensions Emerge It was clear by the 1750’s that there was an

explosive relationship between VA and PA vs. the French and Indians

The area of contention was the forks of the Ohio River, where the Allegheny and Monogahela rivers meet to form the Ohio R.

This area was coveted by all involved and was worth fighting for

These tensions set the stage for fighting in the near future

Religious Tensions Although many people came to the colonies

to escape religious persecution and for religious freedom in general, that did not stop religious tensions from occurring

There was an outcry to awake the colonists to the importance of religion

The Great Awakening This was a revival of religious At this time, many ministers believed that the

colonists had fallen away from their faith The Great Awakening was a series of revivals in

an attempt to renew religious enthusiasm and commitment

Many ministers used powerful speaking skills to lead people to believe that any one can have an individual relationship with God

Great Awakening, con’t… Itinerant – traveling Many preachers went from town to town

preaching these idea’s, and these people were said to be ‘itinerant preachers’

These ministers preached the following: Faith and sincerity, rather than education or

wealth, were the major requirements needed to read the Gospel

The Great Awakening As a result of the Great Awakening, many

churches reorganized Baptists in New England Methodists in the South The appeal of these two particular churches

lay in their powerful, emotional ceremonies and their celebration of ordinary people