Colonial Society on the Eve of Revolution...

Chapter5

ColonialSocietyontheEve

ofRevolution1700–1775

I.ConquestbytheCradle

• Adistinguishingcharacteristicsharedbytherebelliouscolonieswaspopulationgrowth:– 1700:Therewerefewerthan300,000souls,about20,000ofwhomwereblack.

– 1775:2.5millioninhabitedthethirteencolonies,ofwhomhalfamillionwereblack.

–Whiteimmigrantswerenearly400,000;black“forcedimmigrants”wereaboutthesame.

I.ConquestbytheCradle(cont.)

• Thecolonistsweredoublingtheirnumberseverytwenty-fiveyears.

• 1775:Theaverageagewasaboutsixteen.• 1700:ThereweretwentyEnglishsubjectsforeachAmericancolonist.

• 1775:TheEnglishadvantagehadfallentothreetoone.

• Thebalanceofpowerwasshifting.

I.ConquestbytheCradle(cont.)

• Themostpopulouscoloniesin1775wereVirginia,Massachusetts,Pennsylvania,NorthCarolina,andMaryland—inthatorder.

• Onlyfourcitieswereofanysize:Philadelphiawith34,000,trailedbyNewYork,Boston,andCharleston.

• About90%ofcolonistslivedinruralareas.

II.AMinglingoftheRaces

• Americawasameltingpotfrombeginning,withnumerousforeigngroups(seeMap5.1).

• Germanswereabout6%or150,000by1775:– Theyfledreligiouspersecution,economicoppression,andwarinthe1700sandsettledchieflyinPennsylvania.

– TheywereprimarilyLutherans.– KnownPennsylvaniaDutch,theywere1/3ofthecolony’spopulation,livinginthebackcountry.

Map 5.1 p79

II.AMinglingoftheRaces

• Scots-Irishnumberedaround175,000,or7%ofthepopulation,by1775:• Althoughnon-English,theyspokeEnglish.• Overcenturiestheyhadbeentransplantedto

northernIreland.• Theireconomiclifehadbeenhampered.• Intheearly1700stenofthousandscameto

America.• TheybecamethefirstsettlersoftheWest.

II.AMinglingoftheRaces(cont.)

• Scots-Irish(cont.):– WhentheycameupagainsttheAllegheny

Mountains,theymovedsouthwardtoMarylandanddownVirginia’sShenandoahValley.

– Theybuiltflimsylogcabins.– Theyprovedtobesuperbfrontiersmen.– Bythe1800s,theyhadsettledalongtheeastern

Appalachianfoothills.


• Scots-Irish(cont.):– Pugnacious,lawless,andindividualistic,theybroughttheScottishsecretofwhiskeydistilling.

– TheycherishednolovefortheBritishgovernment,oranyothergovernment.

– 1764:ThePaxtonBoysmarchedonPhiladelphia.– Afewyearslater,theyspearheadedtheRegulatormovementinNorthCarolina.


• About5%wereotherEuropeangroups:– FrenchHuguenots,Welsh,Dutch,Swedes,Jews,Irish,Swiss,andScotsHighlanders

• 49%ofpopulation=Anglo-Saxon(Figure5.1)• Africanswerethelargestnon-Englishgroup:– Theywere20%ofthecolonialpopulationin1775.– TheSouthheld90%ofslaves.

• NewEnglandhadtheleastethnicdiversity.

Figure 5.1 p80


• Themiddlecolonies,especiallyPennsylvania,receivedthebulkoflaterwhiteimmigrants.

• OutsideofNewEnglandaboutone-halfwerenon-Englishin1775.

• Ofthe56signersoftheDeclarationofIndependencein1776,18werenon-Englishand8werenotborninthecolonies.


• TheseimmigrantslaidthefoundationsforanewmulticulturalAmericannationalidentityasdifferentgroupsintermingled.

• Likewise,theAfricanAmericancommunitywasquitevariegatedinitsculturalorigins.

• InNewEngland“prayingtowns”andinGreatLakesvillages,differentgroupsofdisplacedNativeAmericansintermingled.

III.AfricansinAmerica• InthedeepestSouth,slavelifewassevere:

– Theclimatewashostiletohealth.– Thelaborwaslife-draining.– Thericeandindigoplantationswerealonelylife.

• Blacksinthetobacco-growingChesapeakeregionhadasomewhateasierlot:– Tobaccoplantationswerelargerandclosertooneanotherthanrice

plantations.

III.AfricansinAmerica(cont.)

• BlacksinChesapeakeregion(cont.):– Thesizeandproximityofplantationspermittedslavesmorevisitswithfriendsandrelatives.

– Asthepopulationoffemaleslavesroseby1720,familylifewaspossible.

– Growthwasthenmainlybynaturalincrease,whilethedeeperSouthstilldependedonimportationofslaves.

• NumberofslavesintheNorthgrewaswell.

III.AfricansinAmerica(cont.)

• ThelanguageGullahevolvedamongSouthCarolinablacks.

• Slaveshelpedbuildcountrywiththeirlabor:– Someartisans:carpenters,bricklayers,tanners.–Mostlymanuallaborers:clearedswamps,etc.

• Slavesresistedtheiroppression:– 1712:NewYorkslaverevolt– 1739:SouthCarolinaslaverevoltonStonoRiver

IV.TheStructureofColonialSociety(cont.)

• Americaseemedashininglandofequalityandopportunity,exceptforslavery.

• Butontheeveofrevolution,Americawasshowingsignsofstratificationandbarrierstomobility:– WarsenrichedmerchantprincesinNewEngland

andthemiddlecolonies.– Warscreatedaclassofwidowsandorphans.


• InNewEngland,withopenlandlessavailable,descendantsfacedlimitedprospects:– Farmsgotsmaller.– Youngerchildrenwerehiredoutaswagelaborers.– Boston’shomelesspoorincreased.

• IntheSouth,largeplantationscontinuedtheirdisproportionateownershipofslaves:– Thelargestslaveownersincreasedtheirwealth.– Poorwhitesincreasinglybecametenantfarmers.


• Lowerclassesfurtherswelledbythestreamofindenturedservants:–Manyultimatelyachievedprosperity.– TwosignedtheDeclarationofIndependence.• Lessfortunatewere50,000paupersandconvicts(“jaylebirds”)involuntarilyshippedtoAmerica.


• Leastfortunateofallweretheblackslaves:– Theyenjoyednoequalitywithwhites.– Theywereoppressedanddowntrodden.– Somewhitecolonistsworriedaboutthegrowingnumberofslavesincolonies.

– Britishauthorities,however,resistedanyattempttolimitthetransatlanticslavetrade.

V.Clerics,Physicians,andJurists

• Colonialprofessions:– MosthonoredwastheChristianministry,butby1775ministershadlessinfluencethanearlier.

–Mostphysicianswerepoorlytrained.– Firstmedicalschoolwasestablishedin1765.– Aspiringyoungdoctorsservedasapprentices.– Atfirst,lawyerswerenotfavorablyregarded.

VI.WorkadayAmerica

• Agriculturewastheleadingoccupation,employing90%ofpeople(seeMap5.2):– TobaccothemaincropofMarylandandVirginia.–Middle(“bread”)coloniesproducedmuchgrain.– Overall,Americansenjoyedahigherstandardoflivingthanthemassesofanycountry.

– Fishingrankedfarbelowagriculture,yetwasrewarding,withabustlingcommerce.

– Commercialventureswereanotherpathtowealth.

Map 5.2 p86

VI.WorkadayAmerica (cont.)

• Triangulartrade(Map5.3)wasveryprofitable.• Manufacturingwasofsecondaryimportance.• Householdmanufacturing(spinningandweavingbywomen)addedimpressiveoutput.

• Skilledcraftspeoplefewandhighlyprized.• Lumberingwasthemostimportantmanufacturingactivity.

• Colonialnavalstoreswerealsohighlyvalued.

Map 5.3 p87

VI.WorkadayAmerica(cont.)

• Butanimbalanceoftradedevelopedby1730s.• 1733:BritishpassedMolassesActtosquelchNorthAmericantradew/FrenchWestIndies.

• Americansrespondedwithsmuggling.• Thisforeshadowedtheimpendingimperialcrisis:– HeadstrongAmericanswouldratherrevoltthansubmittodictatesofafar-offParliamentthatseemedbentondestroyingtheirlivelihood.

VII.HorsepowerandSailpower

• America,withascarcityofmoneyandworkers,sufferedoppressivetransportationproblems:– Roadsdidnotconnecttomajorcitiesuntil1700s.– Roadswereoftencloudsofdustinsummerandquagmiresofmudinwinter.

– Dangersincludedtree-strewnroads,ricketybridges,carriageoverturns,andrunawayhorses.

– Populationclusteredalongbanksofnavigablerivers.

VII.HorsepowerandSailpower(cont.)

• Tavernssprangupalongmainroutes.• Gossipsalsogatheredattaverns.• Tavernshelpedcrystallizepublicopinionand

provedtobehotbedsofagitationastherevolutionarymovementgatheredmomentum.

• Mid-1700s:Intercolonialpostalsystemstarted.

VIII.DominantDenominations

• 1775:AnglicanandCongregationalthetax-supported“established”churches:Table5.1.

• Mostpeopledidnotworshipinanychurch.• Incoloniesthathadestablishedchurches,onlyaminoritybelonged(seeTable5.2).

• TheChurchofEngland:–MemberswerecalledAnglicans.– OfficialfaithinGeorgia,NorthandSouthCarolina,Virginia,Maryland,partofNewYork.

Table 5.1 p89

Table 5.2 p89

VIII.DominantDenominations(cont.)

• ChurchofEngland(cont.):– InEngland,itwasamajorpropofkinglyauthority.– InAmerica,theAnglicanChurchfellshortofitspromise.

– ItwaslessfierceandmoreworldlythanthereligionofPuritanicalNewEngland.

– Sermonswereshorter.– 1693:ThecollegeofWilliamandMary(Virginia)wasestablishedtotrainabetterclassofclergy.

VIII.DominantDenominations(cont.)

• CongregationalChurch:– ItgrewoutofthePuritanChurch.– ItwasformallyestablishedinNewEngland(except

RhodeIsland).– Atfirstitwassupportedbytaxingallresidents.– CongregationalandPresbyterianministers

grappledwithpoliticalquestions.– Anglicanministershesitatedtoresistthecrown.

• Forthetime,religioustolerationincolonies.

IX.TheGreatAwakening

• Spiritualconditionsofthecolonies:– Inallcolonialchurches,religionwaslessfervidin

earlyeighteenthcenturythanbefore.– ThePuritanchurchesinparticularsaggedunder

theweightoftwoburdens:• Theirelaboratetheologicaldoctrines• Theircompromisingeffortstoliberalizemembership

requirements

IX.TheGreatAwakening(cont.)

• Clericalintellectualismsappedthespiritualvitalityfrommanydenominations.

• Arminianism—JacobusArminiuschallengedtheCalvinistdoctrineofpredestination:– Heclaimedthatallhumans,notjustthe“elect,”couldbesavediftheyacceptedGod’sgrace.

– Thisdoctrinewasconsidereda“heresy.”


• 1730s–1740s:GreatAwakeningexploded:– StartedbyJonathanEdwardsinMassachusetts.– Sermon“SinnersintheHandsofanAngryGod”:• Warnedthatrelyingon“goodworks”wasafolly• SaidChristiansmustdependsolelyonGod’sgrace• Providedluriddetailonhell

• GeorgeWhitefield’sevangelicalpreachingrevolutionizedspirituallifeinthecolonies.

5.6 p91


• Orthodoxclergymen(oldlights)wereskepticaloftheemotionalismandtheatricalanticsusedbyrevivalists.

• NewlightsdefendedtheAwakeningforrevitalizingAmericanreligion.

• CongregationalistsandPresbyterianssplitoverthisissue,andmanyjoinedtheBaptistsorMethodists.


• TheAwakeningleftmanylastingeffects:– Theemphasisondirect,emotivespirituality

seriouslyunderminedtheoldclergy.– Manyschismsincreasedthenumberand

competitivenessofAmericanchurches.– Itencouragednewwavesofmissionarywork.– Itledtothefoundingofcolleges.– Itwasthefirstspontaneousmassmovement.– ItcontributedtoagrowingsenseofAmericanism.

X.SchoolsandColleges

• Educationwasfirstreservedforthearistocraticfew:– Educationshouldbeforleadership,notcitizenship,andprimarilyformales.

– Puritansweremorezealousineducation.– TheprimarygoaloftheclergywastomakegoodChristiansratherthangoodcitizens.

• Amoresecularapproachwasevidentbythe1800s.

X.SchoolsandColleges (cont.)

• Educationaltrends:– Educationforboysflourished.– NewEnglandestablishedschools,butthequalityandlengthofinstructionvariedwidely.

– TheSouth,becauseofgeography,wasseverelyhamperedinestablishingeffectiveschoolsystems.

–Wealthysouthernfamiliesleanedheavilyonprivatetutors.


• Thegeneralatmosphereincolonialschoolsandcollegeswasgrimandgloomy:– Theyemphasizedreligionandclassical

languages(LatinandGreek).– Theyfocusedondoctrineanddogma,not

reasonandexperiment.– Disciplinewassevere.– Collegeeducationwasgearedtowardpreparing

menfortheministry.


• Ninecollegeswereestablishedduringthecolonialera(seeTable5.3):– Studentenrollmentsweresmall,about200.– Instructionwaspoor,withcurriculumheavilyloadedwiththeologyand“deadlanguages.”

– By1750,therewasadistincttrendtoward“live”languagesandmodernsubjects.

– BenFranklinhelpedlaunchtheUniversityofPennsylvania,firstcollegefreefromanychurch.

Table 5.3 p93

XI.AProvincialCulture

• ArtandculturestillhadEuropeantastes,especiallyBritish.

• Colonialcontributions:– JohnTrumbull(1756–1843)wasapainter.– CharlesWillsonPeale(1741–1827),knownforhisportraitofGeorgeWashington,ranamuseum.

– BenjaminWest(1738–1820)andJohnSingletonCopley(1738–1815)werefamouspainters.

XI.AProvincialCulture(cont.)

• Othercolonialcontributions: – ArchitecturewaslargelyimportedandmodifiedtomeetpeculiarconditionsoftheNewWorld.

– ThelogcabinwasborrowedfromSweden.– 1720:Red-brickedGeorgianstyleintroduced.– NoteworthyliteraturewasthepoetryofenslavedPhillisWheatley(ca.1753–1784).

– BenjaminFranklinwrotePoorRichard’sAlmanack.

XI.AProvincialCulture(cont.)

• Sciencewasslowlymakingprogress:– Afewbotanists,mathematicians,andastronomerswonrepute.

– BenjaminFranklinwasconsideredtheonlyfirst-rankscientistproducedintheAmericancolonies.

XII.PioneerPresses

• Americansweregenerallytoopoortobuybooksandtoobusytoread:– ByrdfamilyofVirginiahadlargestcollection,about4,000volumes.

– BenjaminFranklinestablishedinPhiladelphiathefirstprivatelysupportedcirculatinglibrary.

– By1776therewereabout50publiclibrariesandcollectionssupportedbysubscription.

XII.PioneerPresses(cont.)

• Printingpresses:– Theyfirstprintedpamphlets,leaflets,andjournals.

– 40newspapersexistedoneveoftheRevolution.– Newspaperswereapowerfulagencyforairingcolonialgrievancesandrallyingopposition.

XII.PioneerPresses (cont.)

• Zengertrial(1734–1735):JohnPeterZengerassailedthecorruptroyalgovernor.

• TheZengerdecisionhelpedestablishthedoctrinethattruestatementsaboutpublicofficialscouldnotbeprosecutedaslibel:– Itwasabannerachievementforfreedomofthepressandforthehealthofdemocracy.

– Itpointedthewayfortheopendiscussionrequiredbythediversesociety.

XIII.TheGreatGameofPolitics

• Therewerethreekindsofcolonialgovernors:– By1775,eightcolonieshadroyalgovernorsappointedbytheking.

– Threehadgovernorsselectedbyproprietors(Maryland,Pennsylvania,Delaware)

– ConnecticutandRhodeIslandelectedtheirowngovernorsunderself-governingcharters.

XIII.TheGreatGameofPolitics(cont.)

• Eachcolonyhadatwo-houselegislature:– Upperhousewasappointedbythecrownin8royalcoloniesandbytheproprietorin3proprietarycolonies.Itwaschosenbyvotersin2self-governingcolonies.

– Lowerhousewasthepopularbranch,electedbythepeople(property-owners).• Insomecoloniesthebackcountryareaswereseriouslyunderrepresentedandresentedthecolonialelite.


• Self-taxationthroughrepresentationwasaprivilegeAmericanscherishedabovemostothers.

• Londongenerallyleftcolonialgovernorstothemerciesofthelegislatures.

• Colonialassembliesassertedauthorityovergovernorsbywithholdingtheirsalary.


• Administrationatthelocallevelvaried:– CountygovernmentsremainedtheruleintheSouth.

– TownmeetingspredominatedinNewEngland.– Themiddlecoloniesusedamixtureofthetwoforms.

• Townmeetings,withopendiscussionandopenvoting,wereacradleofself-government.


• Theballotwasbynomeansabirthright:– Upperclasses,fearfulofdemocraticexcesses,wereunwillingtogranttheballottoeveryone.

– 1775:Stillreligiousandpropertyqualifications.– Abouthalfofadultwhitemalesdisfranchised.

• Butrighttovotewasnotimpossibletoattainbecauseitwaseasytoacquireland.

• Yet,eligiblevotersoftendidnotexercisethisprivilege;insteadtheydeferredtotheelite.


• By1775Americawasnotatruedemocracysocially,economically,orpolitically.

• ButcolonieswerefarmoredemocraticthanEurope.

• Democraticseedswereplanted,laterbringingforthalushharvest.

XIV.ColonialFolkways

• Everydaylifewasdrabandtedious:– Foodwasplentiful,butthedietwascoarseandmonotonous.

– Basiccomfortswerelacking.– Amusementwaseagerlypursuedwheretimeandcustompermitted.

XIV.ColonialFolkways (cont.)

• By1775,BritishNorthAmericalookedlikeapatchworkquilt:– Eachcolonywasslightlydifferent,butallwerestitchedtogetherbycommonorigins,commonwaysoflife,andcommonbeliefsintoleration,economicdevelopment,andself-rule.

– Allwerephysicallyseparatedfromtheseatofimperialauthority.

– Thesefactssetthestageforthestruggletounite.

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