American Life in the 17American Life in the 17thth CenturyCentury

1607-16921607-1692

The 13 The 13 ColoniesColonies

New EnglandNew England MiddleMiddle South South

PoliticalPolitical

EconomicEconomic

SocialSocial

Unhealthy Chesapeake AreaUnhealthy Chesapeake Area

Harsh Wilderness Harsh Wilderness LifestyleLifestyle

Many diseasesMany diseases Life expectancy for many Life expectancy for many

was 50was 50 Chesapeake area had a Chesapeake area had a

6-1 ration of males to 6-1 ration of males to femalesfemales

Many children born out of Many children born out of wedlockwedlock

Virginia most populated Virginia most populated colonycolony

Elisha Woodbury’sGrave…typhoid fever victim in 1750

The Tobacco EconomyThe Tobacco Economy

Much tobacco Much tobacco cultivation cultivation

Cultivated by Cultivated by indentured indentured servantsservants Received Received

transatlantic transatlantic passage & freedom passage & freedom dues dues

Indentured servant contract

The Head The Head right Systemright System50 acres of land to 50 acres of land to whoever paid for whoever paid for indentured servant indentured servant passagepassage

created large created large plantations plantations

less available less available land for poor land for poor colonial colonial immigrantsimmigrants

Head right historical marker

and records

Bacon’s Rebellion Bacon’s Rebellion

Impoverished freemen frustrated w/ broken Impoverished freemen frustrated w/ broken hopes of acquiring landhopes of acquiring land

Resented friendly policy towards nativesResented friendly policy towards natives Virginians (free men, indentured servants) rose Virginians (free men, indentured servants) rose

& attacked natives & attacked natives Torched JamestownTorched Jamestown

Colonial SlaveryColonial Slavery

Half a million slaves Half a million slaves brought to America. brought to America.

Ten Million to the Ten Million to the “New World”.“New World”.

Most slaves from Most slaves from West Africa.West Africa.

By 1750 African By 1750 African Slaves are very Slaves are very populous in the populous in the Southern colonies.Southern colonies.

The Triangular TradeThe Triangular Trade

New England with rum New England with rum Gold Coast of Africa, Gold Coast of Africa, trade it for African trade it for African Slaves Slaves West Indies, West Indies, where slaves were where slaves were exchanged for exchanged for molasses, which in turn molasses, which in turn would be traded in New would be traded in New England to make rum.England to make rum.

Early slave revoltsEarly slave revolts

Slave protests took Slave protests took many formsmany forms outright rebellion outright rebellion working slowerworking slower getting sickgetting sick sabotaging foodsabotaging food

Outright revolts Outright revolts occurredoccurred Stono River rebellion Stono River rebellion

in 1739 in South in 1739 in South Carolina.Carolina.

Punishments for slavesPunishments for slaves

For disobeying one’s For disobeying one’s master slaves were master slaves were whipped, hung, or whipped, hung, or skinnedskinned

Slave families were Slave families were often disbanded by often disbanded by sale.sale.

Rape occurred often Rape occurred often from white masters.from white masters.

Early AbolitionistsEarly Abolitionists

AbolitionismAbolitionism Abolitionist Abolitionist

literature included literature included some former slave some former slave autobiographyautobiography

Charles Ball The Charles Ball The Life of a Former Life of a Former SlaveSlave

Southern SocietySouthern Society

Highest class was Highest class was planter classplanter class (First Families of (First Families of Virginia).Virginia).

Owned 100 or Owned 100 or more slaves & more slaves & dominated the dominated the House of House of Burgesses.Burgesses.

Plantation House

Southern Southern societysociety

Large planter Large planter class class Small farmers, Small farmers, merchants & merchants & skilled artisans.skilled artisans.Indentured Indentured servantsservantsFree slavesFree slavesSlaves Slaves Native Native Americans.Americans.

The New England The New England FamilyFamily

New England had New England had strong family ties.strong family ties. Women had many Women had many childrenchildren

high infant high infant mortality rate.mortality rate.

New England New England husbands had much husbands had much control over their control over their wives and children.wives and children.

Life in the New England TownsLife in the New England Towns

A town consisted of a meetinghouse A town consisted of a meetinghouse surrounded by houses, village surrounded by houses, village green and cemetery.green and cemetery.

Towns of fifty families had a “Little Towns of fifty families had a “Little Red Schoolhouse”. Towns with 100 Red Schoolhouse”. Towns with 100 families required a secondary families required a secondary school.school.

New England TownsNew England Towns

Early CollegesEarly Colleges Harvard was established Harvard was established

to train ministers in 1636.to train ministers in 1636. William and Mary was William and Mary was

established in 1693 in established in 1693 in Virginia.Virginia.

Brown, and later Brown, and later Pembroke for women, Pembroke for women, was established in Rhode was established in Rhode Island.Island.

Harvard’s oldest building is Harvard’s oldest building is Massachusett’s HallMassachusett’s Hall

The Half Way Covenant and The Half Way Covenant and “jeremiads”“jeremiads”

Half -Way CovenantHalf -Way Covenant all people could come all people could come

to church even if they to church even if they were not “visible were not “visible saints”. saints”.

Partial church Partial church membershipmembership

Did this approach Did this approach “delude” religion?“delude” religion?

The “The “jeremiadjeremiad””

Preachers scolded Preachers scolded their congregations their congregations about their waning about their waning piety & faith.piety & faith.

May have paved the May have paved the way for Great way for Great Awakening ministers Awakening ministers in colonial Americain colonial America

Salem Witch TrialsSalem Witch Trialsearly 1690s, group of Salem girls claimed to have been early 1690s, group of Salem girls claimed to have been bewitched by older women.bewitched by older women.hysterical witch-hunt followed that led to the execution of hysterical witch-hunt followed that led to the execution of 20 people and two dogs. 20 people and two dogs.

(Similar events occurring in Europe).(Similar events occurring in Europe).

After a year and a half the hysteria died down.After a year and a half the hysteria died down.

Early settlers’ Days Early settlers’ Days and waysand ways

Sun up to sun Sun up to sun down work. Unless down work. Unless an event was “worth an event was “worth a candle”.a candle”. Not a lot of Not a lot of extravagant living.extravagant living. Fishing, whaling, Fishing, whaling, ship building, ship building, furniture maker were furniture maker were the big industries. the big industries. Goddard Townshed family furniture of

Newport

Gold Mines of New EnglandGold Mines of New England

Cod fish New Bedford whaling