Labor in America, 1640-1790

I. Colonial EconomyA. AgricultureB. ManufacturingC. MaritimeD. Servitude

II. Revolution and ReactionA. The Revolution as Class WarB. The Fruits of War

1. Slavery2. Equal rights3. Land and Taxes4. The Common Law

Agriculture• Labor

– Family– Indented

servants– Female

servants– Tenant farming

• NY: Patroons

– Slaves

• 1790– US population

is over 3M– 93% still rural

Manufacturing

• Foreign• Home• Artisanal system

Maritime• Impressment

• Discipline– Sailors as

“wards” of their masters.

“Jack Tar beats Monsieur” (1779)

Servitude

• Most colonial Americans work under conditions of paternalism, often involuntarily.

The Revolution

as Class Warfare

• Land• Taxes• Impressment

The Fruits of War

1. Slavery

2. Equal rights

3. Land and Taxes

Woodcut of Daniel Shays (on left, 1787)

Restoring Common Law

• Master and servant• Criminal conspiracy