The three colonial sections:  One society

or three?

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New England Overview New England’s colonial society was based on religious standing. The Puritans grew increasingly intolerant of dissenters who challenged the Puritans’ belief in the connection between religion and government. 

New England colonies used town meetings (an “Athenian” direct democracy model) in the operation of government.  The Mayflower Compact was the Pilgrims’ attempt to establish a direct democracy.

New EnglandColonies

• Massachusetts• Connecticut• Rhode Island• New Hampshire

Resources/Geography• Natural Harbors• Coastline for fishing and whaling – key to

Triangular Trade with Europe and Africa• Wood/Trees for Shipbuilding and Lumber

New England

Social  Merchants – top of the social class

 

Slavery/Indentured ServitudeMostly indentured servants – little need for

slave labor due to the economy

New EnglandReligion

-Puritan dominant religion-Massachusetts- intolerant of other religions     -Rhode Island was the exception. It was

founded by religious dissenters, people who were tolerant of all religions

 Ethnic groups

• “Ethnically homogeneous” -Mostly English descent

New England

Social/Political Organization

• Pilgrims (Mass.)– Mayflower Compact – 1st self-government plan in colonies, plan for direct democracy

• Puritans set up a theocracy in MA– church and government function as one government

New England

Weaknesses

• Salem Witch Trials (1692): Mass. takes religion to a new level when it hangs suspected witches

 • Subsistence farming – crops grown to survive,

not sell for profit

Middle Colonies Overview

The middle colonies were home to multiple religious groups that generally believed in religious tolerance, including Quakers in Pennsylvania, Huguenots and Jews in New York, and Presbyterians in New Jersey.  These colonies had more flexible social structures and began to develop a middle class of skilled artisans, entrepreneurs, and small farmers. 

The middle colonies incorporated a number of democratic principles that reflected the basic rights of Englishmen.

Middle ColoniesColonies

• Pennsylvania• New York• Delaware• New Jersey

Resources/Geography • 3 Rivers: Delaware,

Susquehanna, and Hudson- allowed for trade/travel

Resources cont:• Fertile soil & good

climate to help grow “cash crops” – crops sold for profit, like wheat

• Cities: Philadelphia and NYC – hub for commerce & finance, filled with capitalists and entrepreneurs

Middle Colonies

Slavery/Indentured Servitude• Some slavery in NY – but mostly depended on

indentured servants (workers who earn freedom after a set amount of time)

Social/Political Organization:• Political: Representative assembly in PA• Social: “Ruling” class mixture of wealthy

entrepreneurs, capitalists, and landowning farmers

• Quakers powerful in PA

Middle ColoniesReligious/Ethnic Groups

• Most ethnically diverse region!• PA – settlers from all over Europe due to

Quakers toleration• NY – originally Dutch colony, filled with

French Huguenots.• Tolerant of all religions

Middle Colonies

Strengths

• Treaty of Shackamaxon – PA and Native Americans – peaceful relations for 70 years!

• Diversity in every area

  Southern Colonies Overview

Virginia and the other Southern colonies had a social structure based on family status and the ownership of land.  Large landowners in the eastern lowlands dominated colonial government (legislatures) and society and maintained an allegiance to the Church of England and closer social ties to England than did those in the other colonies.  In the mountains and valleys further inland, however, society was characterized by small-scale subsistence farmers, hunters, and traders of Scots-Irish and English descent.

Southern Colonies Colonies

MarylandVirginia

North CarolinaSouth Carolina

Georgia

Resources/Geography• Good soil – long growing seasons for cash crops

– rice, tobacco, and indigo• Rivers and coastline to transport crops

Southern colonies

Slavery/indentured servitude• By 1650s, relying more on slavery to

meet labor needs on plantations

Social/Political Organization• In VA House of Burgesses (1619) – 1st

government assembly in the colonies

Southern colonies

Strict class structure1.Wealthy landowners/elite- “the Cavaliers”2.Small landowners3.Landless whites4.Slaves

Religion• Some diversity in Maryland with Maryland Toleration

Act – freedom to all religions, but Church of England (Anglican) official religion in most colonies

Southern colonies

Ethnic Groups• Some diversity in NC, VA, and GA but overall

mostly English

Weaknesses• Bacon’s Rebellion – 1676 - western Virginia

fights with eastern Virginia over lack of protection of western Virginia from Nat. Americans

• Stono Rebellion – 1739 – SC - slave rebellion – killed 20 whites

 Summary

The colonies had distinctive social characteristics, determined in part by the origins of the colonists, their religions, their occupations, and their ancestors.