Colonial Society on the Eve of the Revolution

Chapter 5

By: Melissa Oguamanam

~ 1700 – 1775 ~

Conquest by the Cradle

By 1775…32 British colonies in North AmericaPopulation: 2.5 million people

• 90% of them live in rural lands

• Mostly on east coast

Average age: 16 years old

A Mingling of the Races

America was made up of many racesMain Groups

– German• 6 % of population (150,000 people)• Lutheran (Pennsylvania Dutch)

– Scots-Irish• 7% of population (175,000 people)

– Other European groups• French, Welsh, Dutch, Swedes, Jews, & Swiss

The Structure of the Colonial Society

Hard work = rags to riches Power was in hands of clergyman, lawyers,

and farmersRich farmers in South owned many slaves Slaves were positioned behind indentured

servants and criminals in social ranking

Clerics, Physicians, and Jurists

Clergy – most honored profession Physicians – least honored profession

– Cured most patients by letting them bleed

Lawyers gained high statusPlagues

– 1/5 people affected by smallpox– Some did not want to mess with God’s Will

Workaday America

Largest Industry: Agriculture– Staple Crops

• Maryland and Virginia: Tobacco

• New York: Flour

New England depended heavily on fishingSmallest Industry: Manufacturing

Triangular Trade

New England boat with rum goes to ->Africa & trades it for slaves ->Slaves traded for molasses in West Indies ->Molasses traded for rum in New England

Triangular Trade

Molasses Act

Passed by Parliament in 1733Prohibited American trade with French

West IndiesAmericans smuggled to get what they

needed

Horsepower and Sail power

Roads were horrible– Families signed wills before trips

Towns built around slow moving riversInter-colonial postal system createdTravelers went to bars and taverns for

entertainment

Dominant Denominations

AnglicanChurch of EnglandReligion in Georgia,

Virginia, Maryland, Carolinas, and some of New York

Had shorter masses and allowed more freedom

CongressionalBased on Puritan

beliefsReligion in New

England colonies except Rhode Island

Wanted followers to be more devout to church

The Great Awakening

Jonathan Edwards – Preached members to tears with passionate sermons on salvation

George Whitefield – a stronger preacher than Edwards

Orthodox clergyman scorned the new preachers for their emotional style

Schools and Colleges

Education was highly regarded in New England

Schools focused on the humanities such as religion, literature, and classical languages

Farming was more important in the South than schooling

Culture – Art and Architecture

Free time dealt with churchArt was not encouragedArtists:

– John Trumbull– Charles Peale – George Washington portraits– Benjamin West– John Copley

Architecture: – Swedish log cabins– Georgian red brick houses

Culture - Literature

Phillis Wheatley Former slaveMoved to EnglandWrote book of poemsExposed power of

Alexander Pope

Ben FranklinWrote Poor Richard’s

Almanac Had famous proverbsPopular both in

Europe and AmericaExperimented with

science

Pioneer Presses

Libraries were scarceThe creation of journals & pamphlets arose

as the revolution grew nearJohn Peter Zenger accused of seditious

libel– Freedom of Press promised after this case

The Great Game of Politics

Royal governors in 8 coloniesProprietor governors in 3 coloniesTwo house legislative body

– Upper house: Proprietors appoint them– Lower house: People elect them

Taxation with representation – privilege Suffrage belonged to whites who owned

land

Makers of America: The Scots-Irish

Scots suffered in Britain– Poor– Taxed by British

Moved to America– Mostly lived in Pennsylvania (open-minded)

Bonded together by religionHighly supported Revolution from their

hatred of Britain

Colonial Folkways

Early sufferings in America– Homes had no plumbing– Homes had no running water– Churches had no heat– Garbage removed had not been advanced

What they did for fun

Playing cardsHunting foxRacing horsesTheatreQuilting

The End