Culture and Society

Chapter 4, Section 3

Life in the Colonies

• Immigration: permanent moving of one country to another• Main reason for population growth in colonies

• 1700s: 250,000 (African Americans 28,000)

• 1770s: 2.5 million (African Americans 500,000)

• Large families: Women married early and had many children• Healthy place to live. But…

• Women died in childbirth

• Epidemics: outbreaks of disease that affect large numbers of people.

New American Spirit

• Colonists came from different countries• Together they became Americans

• Spirit of independence• Far from rules of home country

• Religion, education, and arts combined

Family Roles

• Men: head of household• Worked on farm or at

business

• Represented family in community

• Sons: • Indentured servants

• Apprentices: person who learns a trade from a skilled craftsperson

• Women: ran household• Worked in fields or at home

• Few rights

• Unmarried: • Young: maids or cooks

• Old: teachers, nurses, seamstress

• Kids: Over 5 yrs. had jobs

American Beliefs

• Education: Home schooled to read the Bible

• Religion: Great Awakening• Revival of strong religious beliefs

• The Enlightenment

• Freedom: Freedom of Press• 1733: Peter Zenger arrested for claiming NY mayor was corrupt

• Civic Virtue: democratic ideas, practices, and values that are at the heart of citizenship in a free society.

John Locke