Essential QuestionsEssential Questions:: How did differences in values affect How did differences in values affect

distinct American subcultures in the distinct American subcultures in the Chesapeake, Southern, New Chesapeake, Southern, New England, & Middle colonies?England, & Middle colonies?

What were the roles of women and What were the roles of women and the family in colonial America? Did the family in colonial America? Did they differ by region?they differ by region?

How and why did African slavery get How and why did African slavery get started in North America? What did started in North America? What did slavery mean for African culture?slavery mean for African culture?

The English The English Colonies in Colonies in

AmericaAmerica

Four Colonial Four Colonial SubculturesSubcultures

The values of the migrants dictated The values of the migrants dictated the “personality” of the newly the “personality” of the newly created colonies; led to distinct (not created colonies; led to distinct (not unified) coloniesunified) colonies The ChesapeakeThe Chesapeake New EnglandNew England Middle ColoniesMiddle Colonies The Carolinas & GeorgiaThe Carolinas & Georgia

By the early 1600s, Spain, England, & France had large territorial claims in North America

(but these colonies were not heavily populated, especially in Spanish & French claims)

These colonial claims came largely at the expense of the Native

Americans already living there

Life in 17Life in 17thth Century CenturyEnglish ColoniesEnglish Colonies

The Economic, Social, & Political The Economic, Social, & Political Culture of the English ColoniesCulture of the English Colonies

What did the

English colonies look like in 1650?

What did the English

colonies look like at the end of

the 17th century?

Colonial Society in the 17th Century:

New EnglandNew England

Families in New England

• New England society was much more stable than other colonies:– New England Puritans migrated to America as

families– Marriage was easy as most people shared

common values– Colonists lived longer due to more a dispersed

population, purer water, & a cooler climate

Possibly the 1st society in history to reasonably expect to live long

enough to see their grandchildren

Towns became networks of intermarried families

New England “invented” grandparents

Education in New Education in New EnglandEngland

New England towns regarded New England towns regarded education as fundamental family education as fundamental family responsibility; towns began to create responsibility; towns began to create elementary schools funded with local elementary schools funded with local taxes:taxes: NE had, by far, the highest literacy rate NE had, by far, the highest literacy rate

in Americain America In 1638, Harvard became America’s In 1638, Harvard became America’s

first college first college

Family Life in New Family Life in New EnglandEngland

Patriarchal Society – the father was boss Patriarchal Society – the father was boss of the family, and society in generalof the family, and society in general The female was to a subservient and The female was to a subservient and

obedient wife and a loving motherobedient wife and a loving mother Children endured a strict upbringing Children endured a strict upbringing

through corporal punishment, plentiful through corporal punishment, plentiful chores, and apprenticeshipschores, and apprenticeships Laws established systems of public Laws established systems of public

education that ensured the basic education education that ensured the basic education of children of children

Women in New EnglandWomen in New England

Was the colonial era the “golden Was the colonial era the “golden age” for women? age” for women? Women contributed to society as wives Women contributed to society as wives

& mothers, devout church members, & & mothers, devout church members, & ran small-scale farms ran small-scale farms

But were not equals with men:But were not equals with men: Women could not legally own or sell Women could not legally own or sell

property; divorce difficultproperty; divorce difficult Women did what God ordainedWomen did what God ordained

Religion in New EnglandReligion in New England

Since most New England colonies Since most New England colonies were founded on a belief that the were founded on a belief that the colony existed through a ‘covenant’ colony existed through a ‘covenant’ with God, religion and state were with God, religion and state were often one and the sameoften one and the same Local town governments ensured the Local town governments ensured the

good order of Puritan societygood order of Puritan society Suffrage rights and political opportunities Suffrage rights and political opportunities

commonly depended on one’s commonly depended on one’s membership in the local churchmembership in the local church

Triangular TradeTriangular Trade

Though there were no plantation Though there were no plantation elite in New England, there did arise elite in New England, there did arise a powerful merchant classa powerful merchant class The New England merchants profited The New England merchants profited

from shipping manufactured rum, and from shipping manufactured rum, and other goods received from Southern other goods received from Southern colonies and the Indies, to Africa to be colonies and the Indies, to Africa to be exchanged for slavesexchanged for slaves

Social Hierarchy in New England

Local gentry of religiously devout families guided

town meetings

Large population of yeomen farmers loyal

to the local community

Small population of landless laborers, servants, & poor

NE churches focused on its members; outsiders were not welcomed & often moved away

The Diverse Middle Colonies

The Middle Colonies were a mixture of Southern and New England societies There were both large landowners who grew

cash crops and also wealthy merchants who controlled growing cities

There was broad religious diversity Quakers, Catholics, Anglicans, Puritans, etc…

There were diverse ethnic backgrounds English, Scots-Irish, Dutch, German, Swiss,

etc…

Opportunities in the Middle Colonies

As most immigrants came to America in search of economic opportunity, in the Middle Colonies they were most likely to find it… Opportunities were not limited to ethnic

background in the diverse Middle Colonies Most became farmers, but many also found

opportunities to become artisans in rapidly expanding cities such as Philadelphia and New York

Colonial Society in the 17th Century:

The ChesapeakeThe Chesapeake

Families in the Families in the ChesapeakeChesapeake

““Normal, English” family life was Normal, English” family life was impossible in Virginia:impossible in Virginia: 70-85% of immigrants were 70-85% of immigrants were young maleyoung male

indentured servants indentured servants High death rate (average age was 10-20 High death rate (average age was 10-20

years lower than NE)years lower than NE) One married spouse often died within a One married spouse often died within a

decadedecade Children often never knew their parents Children often never knew their parents

(let alone grandparents)(let alone grandparents)

Women in Chesapeake Women in Chesapeake SocietySociety

Scarcity gave some women Scarcity gave some women bargaining power in the marriage bargaining power in the marriage market; allowed some women to market; allowed some women to improve their social statusimprove their social status

But women were vulnerable:But women were vulnerable: sexual exploitationsexual exploitation Childbearing was dangerousChildbearing was dangerous Chesapeake women died 20 years Chesapeake women died 20 years

earlier than women in New Englandearlier than women in New England

Life in the Early SouthLife in the Early South

Due to their few numbers women Due to their few numbers women were able to gain broad social and were able to gain broad social and legal rights, as well as wealthlegal rights, as well as wealth Due to the short life spans women were Due to the short life spans women were

commonly able to marry many times due commonly able to marry many times due to the death of husbands to the death of husbands these many these many marriages would allow them to gain marriages would allow them to gain large estateslarge estates

With their material power came social With their material power came social and political influenceand political influence

Social Hierarchy in the Chesapeake

Tobacco was the basis of wealth & cause of

social inequalities

The plantation gentry dominated society &

the House of Burgesses

Free farmers were largest class; Came as indentured

servants; most lived on edge of poverty

Indentured servants were often mistreated & cheated out of land

African slaves

Chesapeake Culture Chesapeake Culture

By 1680, social mobility in the By 1680, social mobility in the Chesapeake was limited:Chesapeake was limited: An American-born elite class had An American-born elite class had

emerged (this social aristocracy was emerged (this social aristocracy was absent earlier)absent earlier)

The plantation economy & ownership of The plantation economy & ownership of slaves allowed the gentry to produce slaves allowed the gentry to produce more tobaccomore tobacco

High death rates halted the High death rates halted the development of schools & townsdevelopment of schools & towns

Life in the Early SouthLife in the Early South

Due to the fact that there were very few Due to the fact that there were very few large towns public education never large towns public education never came to be an important issuecame to be an important issue Rural and sporadic small-town societyRural and sporadic small-town society Illiteracy was very commonIlliteracy was very common The education that did take place was The education that did take place was

primarily given by either private tutors or primarily given by either private tutors or educated parentseducated parents

For higher levels of schooling children were For higher levels of schooling children were sent overseas to European institutionssent overseas to European institutions

Split Southern SocietySplit Southern Society The head right system quickly created a The head right system quickly created a

society split between poor freed farmers society split between poor freed farmers (former indentured servants) and (former indentured servants) and wealthy plantation ownerswealthy plantation owners

Over half of settlers in the southern Over half of settlers in the southern colonies were indentured servants…colonies were indentured servants…

Small farmers were kept poor by…Small farmers were kept poor by… Falling tobacco prices due to overproductionFalling tobacco prices due to overproduction Poor landPoor land High taxesHigh taxes

Family Life in the SouthFamily Life in the South

Life was very isolated due to the scattering Life was very isolated due to the scattering of families on farms and plantationsof families on farms and plantations

Children were much less disciplined than Children were much less disciplined than in the New England region, and of course in the New England region, and of course less educatedless educated

Women did not have to perform manual Women did not have to perform manual labor, but in some rare cases they did run labor, but in some rare cases they did run the plantationthe plantation

The Anglican Church was the established The Anglican Church was the established religion of the regionreligion of the region

Non-English in the SouthNon-English in the South

The Scotch-Irish developed a strong The Scotch-Irish developed a strong presence in…presence in… North Carolina due to its open policy of North Carolina due to its open policy of

granting lands and its open-minded, granting lands and its open-minded, democratic societydemocratic society

Georgia in the 1750’s after the cheap Georgia in the 1750’s after the cheap lands of the tidewater regions were lands of the tidewater regions were exhausted in Virginia and South exhausted in Virginia and South CarolinaCarolina

Colonial Society in the 17th Century:

African SlavesAfrican Slaves

Roots of SlaveryRoots of Slavery

The importation of African slaves was The importation of African slaves was based on a “need” for labor:based on a “need” for labor:– Indians decimated by diseaseIndians decimated by disease– Indentured servant-pool waned after Indentured servant-pool waned after

16601660 An estimated 11 million slaves An estimated 11 million slaves

(mostly males) were brought to the (mostly males) were brought to the English American coloniesEnglish American colonies

Roots of SlaveryRoots of Slavery

Slaves were originally treated as Slaves were originally treated as indentured servants but the growing indentured servants but the growing black population in VA by 1672 black population in VA by 1672 prompted stricter slave laws:prompted stricter slave laws:– Africans were defined as slaves for life; Africans were defined as slaves for life;

slave status was passed on to children slave status was passed on to children – By 1700, slavery was based exclusively on By 1700, slavery was based exclusively on

skin colorskin color

Origins & Destinations of African Slaves, 1619-1760

The Slave Population• In the Chesapeake & Southern colonies

with large black populations, slaves found it was easier to maintain African culture

• By 1720, the African population became self-sustaining:– Fertility rates exceeded immigration rates for

1st time– Did not occur in the Caribbean or in South

America

60% in SC40% in VAFree & enslaved blacks were much less numerous in NE & Middle colonies

The Slave Population

• Widespread resentment of their slave status led to resistance in the 18th Century:– Armed resistance such as the Stono Rebellion of

1739 (SC)– In 1741, 106 slaves were hanged or deported

due to a rumor that slaves planned to burn NYC– Runaways were common

150 blacks rose up and seized munitions hold killed & killed several white planters