Chapter 3: Colonial Ways of Life

American History

Southern ColoniesSouthern Colonies had warm climates and

good soil, which were good for growing crops

Because of many cash crops growing in the South, southern farmers needed a lot of manpower to grow the crops

Many indentured servants who were free began to leave the plantations in order to buy lands around America

Planters tried to make Native Americans to work, but many died from European diseases

Slavery and its effectsAs a result of increased need

for work, planters took enslaved Africans and used them for work◦ worked at growing rice,

tobacco, cotton, and indigo, a plant used for coloring clothes

Because of profits from cash crops, the planter class became the most powerful and wealthiest class in the Southern colonies◦ controlled most of the land in

the South

Slave LifeSome planters were good to

their slaves, while others were tyrants

On plantations, slaves worked in groups of 25 under an overseer, or men hired to watch over and direct the slaves while working◦ slaves worked 15 hours a day◦ slaves lived in one room cabins

that had sleeping cots in them only

◦ slaves didn’t receive a lot of food for the week, only enough to survive despite hardships, many slaves kept

their traditions and customs alive

Attempted rebellions and their aftermaths

Some slaves fought against their enslavement by working slow, damaging crops, or carrying out order in the wrong way

Some slaves, so angry at their masters, rose up in rebellion◦ most were put down easily

As a result of the rebellions, slave masters established stricter slave codes, or a set of laws that regulated slavery and defined the relationship between the slave and their master

New England ColoniesNew England had long

winters, rocky soil, and had a large English population

New England farming was short, due to the short growing season, so many practiced subsistence farming◦ farmers produced enough food

for them, plus a little extraMany in New England lived in

a town◦ farmers surrounded a green

square, or the center of the town

Fishing and TradeSince farming was difficult, many turned

towards the sea to fish◦ Atlantic provided great fishing grounds◦ oak trees provided good ships

New England settlers established three types of trade:◦ 1) Traded with other colonies◦ 2) Traded with European countries◦ 3) Triangular Trade-route with three stops

1) Ship from New England brought rum and iron to Africa

2) Ship from Africa brought slaves and gold to West Indies

3) Ship from West Indies brought sugar and molasses to colonies

The Middle ColoniesMiddle Colonies had shorter winters, fertile

soil, and populations from all over Europe◦many of those immigrants were German and

Dutch, who brought knowledge of farmingThe longer growing season allowed the

Middle Colonies to produce cash crops◦raised to be sold for money (fruits, vegetables,

and grain)Mills were extremely important to the

Middle Colonies◦animal and man power were used to crush

corn, wheat, rye, and other crops

Middle Colony SocietySince many different immigrants

lived in the Middle Colonies, there was a great surge of diversity, or variety of peoples◦ a majority of immigrants, besides

English, were German◦ came as indentured servants

escaping religious persecutionThe region’s diversity allowed for

tolerance to spread throughout communities◦ many practiced religious tolerance,

or allowing other religions to practice without persecution

◦ Quakers allowed other religions to practice in Pennsylvania

The Navigation Acts From major profits in New England,

the Navigation Acts were passed to ensure that England continued to make money from the colonies

Even with the Navigation Acts, England had trouble controlling shipping◦ smuggling (importing and exporting

goods illegally) was common◦ pirates interfered with colonial shipping

from the colonies New Englanders in large towns

owned slaves◦ worked as house servants, since farming

was scarce◦ Interest in business and competition

with other religions caused the decline of Puritan society in New England

Control in the New England ColoniesThe king of England

appointed governors to rule the colonies on his behalf◦ colonists disliked the idea

because the had no representation in Parliament to argue it

King James II collected the Northern colonies and made them in New England, which was governed by a governor◦ angered the colonists because

it ended their representative bodies and they could hold town meetings only once a year

The Glorious RevolutionA revolution in England swept the governors of the

colonies from power◦ Parliament overthrew James II for not respecting the

peoples’ rightsJames fled the country, and his daughter, Mary, and

her husband, William, became rulers of England◦ The Glorious Revolution

After William and Mary took over, they agreed to uphold the English Bill of Rights◦ an agreement to respect the English citizens and

Parliament◦ king and queen could not cancel laws or impose taxes

without Parliament agreeing◦ established that the government was to be based on laws

made by Parliament

Life for Women in Colonial America

The colonies, especially in New England, began to thrive◦ land ownership determined success and social

positionWomen did many things around the land to

support the family◦ tended to crops and made products to trade and

use for the familyEven though they did a lot for the family,

women did not have many rights◦ could not vote, preach, hold office, own property,

and all moneys earned had to go to the husband, if she were married

Life for Children in Colonial America

Children also worked to support their family and their land◦ children ages 3-4 looked after

animals and picked berries◦ boys age 6 helped their fathers

tend to the land◦ boys age 11 became apprentices,

or students of a professional craftsman

◦ received food, clothing, lodging, and education, specifically in the craft they were learning

◦ boys age 18 would start their own business with the craft they learned

◦ girls learned household skills, and were sent to other households to learn other skills

Education and Religion in Colonial America

Education was a large factor in the growth of the colonies◦ wealthy children learned reading, writing, and arithmetic◦ poor children went to “dame schools”, where they were

taught the alphabetColonists published newspapers, poems, books, and

autobiographies to increase reading and educationIn the 1730’s and 1740’s, a great religious

movement swept through the colonies, teaching those who listened to continue to believe in God◦ The Great Awakening

Another movement during this time emphasized on reason, logic, and science◦ The Enlightenment