18th Century Life

How British colonies develop different culture

Pop growth

• 1701- 250,000

• 1775- 2.5 million

• African Americans: 1701- 28k• 1775- 500k

– Immigration– Natural increase

European immigrants

• Gt Britain, W + Central Europe– Protestants from France, Germany

• Escape from persecutions, wars• Economic opportunity

– Farming, shops, artisans

• Mostly Middle colonies

immigrants

• English ↓- fewer problems– Germans -> to PA Dutch country

• Farmland

– Scotts-Irish – Frontier, no respect for English• 1775- 7%

– Hugenots, Dutch, Swedes 5%– Africans 20-30%

Characteristics:

• Dominance of English Culture- modified by other groups

• Self Gov- rep assembly– Only RI & CT elected by people– Rest: royal colonies

• Religious toleration– MA least, RI & PA most

• No aristocracy– No social extremes

• Social Mobility– All but Africans

Family Life

• Economic/ social center• More children, married young

– Expanding economy & ample food supply

• 90% on farms• Higher standard of living than Europe

– Men work, own land• Unltd power in home

– Obligated to keep wife, children in line

– Women cook, clean, make clothes• Educate kids, physiking, share work of farm/shop

– Ltd legal, political rights

Economy

• 1760- < ½ English trade– Cannot compete in mfctr

• Prosperity– Teachers, ministers, lawyers, doctors ↑↑– Key to wealth: land

New England

• Rocky soil

• Short season

• Subsistence farming < 100 acres

• Logging, shipbuilding

• Fishing, trading

• Rum distilling

Middle Colonies

• Rich soil

• Wheat, corn for export England, W I

• Farms up to 200 acres- common

• Indentured servants

• Small mfctr, ie: iron making

• Trading growing cities (NYC, Phillie)

Southern Colonies

• Varied geog, climate

• Farming: subsistence to large plants: 2k acres

• Chesapeake NC tobacco

Transportation

• Harbors, rivers

• Horse & stage travel more common

• Taverns: food, lodging, social centers

- T.I.P./ shared beds– News, politics

• Postal system via horse, overland; small ships

$$ system

• Some hard currency: pays for imports– Imports exceed exports– Domestic trade

• Each colony issued paper $ inflation

Religion

• MD: Catholic refuge• Big towns attract some Jews• Majority: Protestants • Presbyterians N.Eng• NY Dutch Dutch reformed• PA: Quakers, Lutherans, Mennonites

– 18th c. MA + CT other religions are exempt from supporting Congregationalists

– VA: all tax support ended after revolution

Anglicans

• Prosperous farmers, merchants NY

• No bishop to ordain ministers in colonies

• Head: King of England– Symbol of English control

• Congregationalists– Successors to Puritans

• Ministers seem domineering• Doctrine too complex

Arts & Sciences

• Among well to do

• Architecture from England (Georgian style)

• 1740s-50s

• Symmetrical windows,

• Large center hall, 2 fps

• E. seaboard– Frontier: 1 rm log cabin

Art

• Itinerant portrait artists- English trained– Benjamin West– John Copley

Literature

• Religious tracts– Cotton Mather, Jonathon Edwards

• Political essays: American rights vs English authority 1760s

• Poor Richard’s Almanac (best seller)

• Phyllis Wheatley – poetry of a slave

Science & Education

• B Franklin: electricity, bifocals, stove• Education for males only

– New England: 1st tax supported schools– MA Law 1647 primary school in town w/ 50+

families• Grammar schools …. 100+ families

Middle C: schools are church sponsored or private teachers room w/ families on rotating basis

South: parent/ tutors

Higher Ed

• Harvard: 1636, MA, for supply of ministers

• Wm + Mary: VA, 1694, Anglican

• Yale: CT 1701, Congregationalist– 1756: no religious sponsors

Professions:

• 17th c: Ministers

• 18th c: Physicians- little training, can apprentice, med school: College of Phil. Or Edinburg

• Lawyers- uncommon before 18th c as most people argued own cases– Trade expands, legal probs become complex

Zenger Case

• 1735- John Peter Zenger– Criticized NY Gov in paper

• Charge: libel• Argued: Truth

– English law: injury to reputation= crime regardless of truth

• Jury ignored law; acquitted Z– Newspapers encouraged to take greater risks in

criticizing govs

Rural life (Yee-haw)

• Few newspapers / books; just bible

• Worked sun-up to sun-down

• 4 seasons: planting, growing, harvesting, prep for next cycle

• Ltd light/heat kitchen/ pf & candles

• Entertainment- cards, horse racing (S)– Theater (Mid) Religious lectures (NE)

National Character

• Free speech

• Free Press

• Elected reps for colonial assembly

• Tolerated variety of religions– Amers seen as: restless, enterprising,

practical, always trying to improve circumstances

Slavery

• # slaves ↑ rapidly– 1670 a few thou; early 18th c: tens of thou

• By 1750 ½ pop VA, 2/3 SC– Demand up due to:

• Reduced migration– English wages ↑

• Dependable labor– Bacon’s Reb

• Cheap labor:– Tobacco prices ↓ Rice, indigo ↑… req’d more land

• Slave laws- bondage for life, inherited status– 1641 MA allows slavery first– 1661 VA children inherit status– 1664 MD Baptism has no effect on slave status, no intermarriage

» Blacks seen as socially inferior– Triangle trade

Triangle trade

• Slaves from Africa to W.I.• Sugar, Molasses to New England• Rum, gold to Africa

• &• Manufactured goods from England to NE• Tobacco, Fish, Rice, Meat from NE to

Europe