Society and Culture in Society and Culture in Provincial America Provincial America

Chapter 3Chapter 3

The Colonial PopulationThe Colonial Population

Early PopulationEarly Population– Not aristocratic in the beginningNot aristocratic in the beginning– Indentured servants= ¾ of immigrants Indentured servants= ¾ of immigrants

to Chesapeake in the 17th centuryto Chesapeake in the 17th century Other Groups:Other Groups:

– PrisonersPrisoners– VagrantsVagrants

Headright system Headright system

Birth and DeathBirth and Death

ChesapeakeChesapeake– 1 in 4 children 1 in 4 children

dieddied– Half die before Half die before

age 20age 20– 1/3 of all 1/3 of all

marriages + 10 marriages + 10 yearsyears

– Bad waterBad water– MalariaMalaria– 40 years for men40 years for men– < 40 for women< 40 for women

New EnglandNew England– SameSame– Disease freeDisease free– ““cleaner” watercleaner” water– Pop. Pop.

quadrupled quadrupled from 1650- from 1650- 17001700

– 71 for men71 for men– 70 for women70 for women

VS.

Chesapeake WomenChesapeake Women

1717thth Century Century– High female mortality rateHigh female mortality rate– Women who lived through child birth Women who lived through child birth

averaged 8 children apiece (3 live)averaged 8 children apiece (3 live)– # of women low= more latitude for women in # of women low= more latitude for women in

choosing husbandschoosing husbands 1818thth Century Century

– Life expectancy increases – “seasoning”Life expectancy increases – “seasoning”– Indentured servitude on declineIndentured servitude on decline– Sex ratio more equalSex ratio more equal– PatriarchalPatriarchal

New EnglandNew England

Lower death rates= stronger family Lower death rates= stronger family structurestructure

More parental control for longerMore parental control for longer Puritan ideals valued women as wife Puritan ideals valued women as wife

and motherand mother But reinforced male superiorityBut reinforced male superiority

Slavery’s BeginningSlavery’s Beginning Portuguese-Dutch-EnglishPortuguese-Dutch-English Responsible for the forced immigration of Responsible for the forced immigration of

as many as 11 million Africansas many as 11 million Africans 95% of Africans first spent time in the 95% of Africans first spent time in the

West IndiesWest Indies 1700-1760 the number of Africans in 1700-1760 the number of Africans in

colonies increased x10 colonies increased x10 By 18th century, rigid distinction By 18th century, rigid distinction

between black and white between black and white – White servants freed, black servants notWhite servants freed, black servants not– $ incentive to keep slaves and sell children$ incentive to keep slaves and sell children

Idea of subordinating a race, not Idea of subordinating a race, not uncommon to English: Irish and Nativesuncommon to English: Irish and Natives

Changing PopulationChanging Population

By Late 17By Late 17thth century century– Non-native population outnumbered Non-native population outnumbered

native populationnative population– English immigration declined, but others English immigration declined, but others

started coming…started coming…

Colonial Colonial EconomicsEconomics

SouthSouth– Chesapeake TobaccoChesapeake Tobacco– Overproduction lowered Overproduction lowered

costcost– By 1700 plantations By 1700 plantations

with 12+ slaves were with 12+ slaves were commoncommon

– SC + Georgia RiceSC + Georgia Rice Mud/swamps/heat/Mud/swamps/heat/

insectsinsects Africans better laborers Africans better laborers

than whitesthan whites– Stronger, less likely Stronger, less likely

sick, handle heatsick, handle heat– SC IndigoSC Indigo

Overall:Overall:– Dependence on cash Dependence on cash

crops = limited urban crops = limited urban centerscenters

NorthNorth– N. EnglandN. England

Diverse agriculture = Diverse agriculture = commercial sectorcommercial sector

Small scale/just for Small scale/just for familyfamily

– NY/Penn/ConnNY/Penn/Conn German immigrantsGerman immigrants Improved farmingImproved farming Women worked with Women worked with

menmen– Everyone had a craftEveryone had a craft

Candles, carpentry, Candles, carpentry, weaving, soapweaving, soap

– A good to trade and A good to trade and sell…this developed sell…this developed into tradesmen and into tradesmen and urban centersurban centers

– Natural resources: Natural resources: lumbering, mining, and lumbering, mining, and fishingfishing

– 1764 Hasenclever Iron 1764 Hasenclever Iron Factory in NJFactory in NJ

VS

Rise in Colonial CommerceRise in Colonial Commerce

Amazing that colonies survivedAmazing that colonies survived– lack of currencylack of currency– harsh laws from Parliament harsh laws from Parliament

Trans-Atlantic tradeTrans-Atlantic trade– N. American productsN. American products– W. Indies productsW. Indies products– African productsAfrican products

From trade an elite merchant class From trade an elite merchant class emergedemerged

Patterns of SocietyPatterns of Society

The Plantation (South)The Plantation (South)– Most were relatively small estatesMost were relatively small estates– Far from cities or townsFar from cities or towns

Plantation SlaveryPlantation Slavery– Smaller farms less social separationSmaller farms less social separation– By mid 18By mid 18thth century over ¾ slaves on century over ¾ slaves on

plantations of at least ten slavesplantations of at least ten slaves– Almost half of all slaves lived in communities of Almost half of all slaves lived in communities of

50 slaves or more50 slaves or more– Stono Rebellion 1739Stono Rebellion 1739

Patterns of Society Cont’dPatterns of Society Cont’d The Puritan Community (North)The Puritan Community (North)

– Town structure as opposed to farm/plantationTown structure as opposed to farm/plantation– All new colonies had a “covenant”- religious tieAll new colonies had a “covenant”- religious tie– Tightly knit communitiesTightly knit communities

The Witchcraft PhenomenonThe Witchcraft Phenomenon– EventsEvents

1680s-1690s Salem, MA (most famous, but not only 1680s-1690s Salem, MA (most famous, but not only one)one)

– Why?Why? Women with power, land accusedWomen with power, land accused Others in low social positionOthers in low social position Most were middle aged and widowed with few or no Most were middle aged and widowed with few or no

childrenchildren Puritan society had little tolerance to “independent” Puritan society had little tolerance to “independent”

and “deviant” womenand “deviant” women

Patterns of Society Cont’dPatterns of Society Cont’d

CitiesCities– 1770s two largest ports1770s two largest ports– New York 25,000New York 25,000– Philadelphia 28,000Philadelphia 28,000– Boston 16,000Boston 16,000– visible difference between rich and visible difference between rich and

poorpoor

The Colonial MindThe Colonial Mind

Pattern of ReligionsPattern of Religions– Anglicanism, all supporters to be taxed to Anglicanism, all supporters to be taxed to

support the churchsupport the church– Puritans saw Catholics as “agents of the Puritans saw Catholics as “agents of the

Devil”Devil” The Decline of PietyThe Decline of Piety

– Denominationalism: with so many diverse Denominationalism: with so many diverse sects, which one is right?sects, which one is right?

– Puritan attendance was actually very highPuritan attendance was actually very high

The Colonial Mind Cont’dThe Colonial Mind Cont’d

The Great AwakeningThe Great Awakening– Began in 1730s reached climax in 1740sBegan in 1730s reached climax in 1740s– Target: women and third of fourth Target: women and third of fourth

generation sonsgeneration sons– not change/rebellion but rather salvationnot change/rebellion but rather salvation– John and Charles Wesley John and Charles Wesley – George WhitfieldGeorge Whitfield– Jonathan EdwardsJonathan Edwards

The Colonial Mind Cont’dThe Colonial Mind Cont’d The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenment

– Reason, logic, and science as divineReason, logic, and science as divine– need not turn to God for guidance, rather need not turn to God for guidance, rather

human moral sensehuman moral sense– Locke, Spinoza, Descartes, Voltaire Locke, Spinoza, Descartes, Voltaire

Jefferson, Franklin, MadisonJefferson, Franklin, Madison EducationEducation

– 1647 law required every town in Mass. to 1647 law required every town in Mass. to support a public schoolsupport a public school

– Indians and Blacks remained largely outside Indians and Blacks remained largely outside of the systemof the system

– Harvard, William and Mary, Yale and Harvard, William and Mary, Yale and Princeton Princeton

The Colonial Mind Cont’dThe Colonial Mind Cont’d

ScienceScience Law and PoliticsLaw and Politics

– 1734 Peter Zenger wrote criticism of 1734 Peter Zenger wrote criticism of governmentgovernment