HIS 156 Lecture 2- The Bonds of Empire

HIS 156: History of United States to 1865 1LT Scott Wagner

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The Bonds of Empire: 1660-1750


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Chapter Outline• New England vs. Chesapeake Society• Culture, Religion, Economics

• Servants to Slaves• Economics and Politics• Enlightenment and Religion• Social Compact• Great Awakening

• Conclusion


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Key Terms• Indentured Servants• Middle Passage• Mercantilism• English Bill of Rights• Navigation Acts• John Locke• George Whitefield


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New England Society• Education levels tended to be higher • About 90% of adult men and 40% of adult women could

sign their names• In other colonies, it was no more than 50%

• In England, only about 33% of adult men could both read and write

• Community Life centered around “meeting house”• Meeting house tended to be the social and cultural center of

gravity, much like a town hall


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Community Life (cont’d)• Homes tended to be built close to one another in New England

colonies• Plots of land for farming were on the outskirts of town

• This led to higher population density than other areas• Many families were within one mile of each other• Created a strong sense of moral and religious responsibility to one

another; encouraged “City Upon a Hill” philosophy• This also facilitated close working, family relationships among

the townspeople


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New England: 1725


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New England Family Life• Family was considered the “backbone of the community”• Family Organization• Father: head of the family• Mother: social and moral enforcer• Children: provided labor force

• Life Expectancy Rate• 80% of children reached adulthood• Increasingly long life expectancy (Men 65, Women 62)


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Chesapeake Bay, 1688


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A Way of Life

Tobacco Plantation, 1701


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Chesapeake Bay Society• Tobacco cultivation dominated socio-economic life of

Chesapeake region• Grown mostly in Virginia and Maryland• First “American settlement” in area was Jamestown in

1607; sometimes referred to by historians as “Boomtown”• Large profits could be had, but prices fluctuated and market

unforgiving• Indentured servants and slaves became commonplace on

plantations• Plantations tended to be spread out and along James River; this

differed from tightknit communities of New England area


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Community Life• Homes were spread out and generally pretty far away from

each other• This resulted in a low population density; only about 6

people peer square mile in some areas• As a result, large plantations tended to be at the “center” of

community life • Family life differed greatly from that of New Englanders• Far less stability and concentration on family values• High infant mortality rates• Life expectancy in the 1600s was 48 for Men, 44 for Women• This resulted in complex households dependent upon indentured

servants, slave labor


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Indentured Servants• “Headright: System• 50 acres was paid to those who paid a servant’s travel costs• Many servants were willing to bear the burden for a chance at a

better life, more economic opportunity• Between 1630 and 1700, more than 110,000 migrated

from England to Chesapeake Bay• Up to 90% were indentured servants• Most were Male, which proved troublesome for family life in

the region• Up to 40% died within 6 years• Generally worked for a term of 4-7 years• Some were able to forge on way afterwards, others weren’t


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Native American Relations (1670s)

• Settlers (often former indentured servants) in outlying areas encroached on Native American land, breeding conflict

• William Berkeley. Virginia’s Governor, did not react with force; settlers tended to take matters into their own hands

• Bacon’s Rebellion (1676)• Member of the nobility, not lower class• Led a militia of about 300 men to solve “Indian problem”• Clashed with Governor Berkeley and turned on fellow Virginians,

eventually burning Jamestown• At one point controlled have of Virginia; Bacon suddenly died of

dysentery, and the movement he inspired dispersed• Many elites were shocked by these events, sought to ensure they

never occurred again


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Resulting Trend• Due in part to Bacon’s Rebellion, Virginia planters moved

away from hiring indentured servants and more towards acquiring African slaves• Forced labor started to flesh out along racial lines more and more


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Economics• Trade bound the American colonies and England closely to one

another• England purchased more American goods and provided more

imports than any other nation• Based upon the economic philosophy of Mercantilism• A nation’s wealth was determined by its accumulation of gold and

silver• Nations must export more goods than it imports• This was one of the motivating factors behind colonial expansion• Resource-rich colonies provided raw materials to be turned into

finished goods and exported


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Mercantilism and Navigation Acts• Colonies provided reliable source of raw goods• Tobacco, rice, fur, lumber, sugar

• Colonists purchased finished goods from England• England was “workshop” for its colonies• Colonies were “provider and consumer” of English manufactures

• Navigation Acts (1651-1673)• All goods sent to colonies transported on English ships• “Enumerated”, or highly valuable, goods had to go directly

to England• All foreign goods had to travel to England first before

heading to the colonies (tax and control market)


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Economics and Politics• The Crown and Parliament did create their own regulations for

the Colonies; however, each colony did have its own local form of government

• Colonial Government Structure:• Governor: appointed by King or Proprietor• Council: chosen by Governor and served as advisers• Assembly: elected by voters (some colonies had property

qualifications, some didn’t); had the power to pass laws, levy taxes and manage budgets • Wealthy elites tended to dominate assemblies


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History of Ideas• Enlightenment• An intellectual movement associated with Europe in the 17th and

18th century• Individuals applied rational thought/scientific thinking to

everyday life instead of viewing through religious lens• Isaac Newton (Laws of Gravity)• Benjamin Franklin (Scientific Discovery, Philosophy)• John Locke (Social Contract)• All people have “inherent, natural rights: life, liberty, and property”• To protect rights, people establish government with well-defined, limited

powers (inspired by English Bill of Rights)• The people have not only the right, but the duty to overthrow government if

it oversteps its bounds • Radical thinking


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Great Awakening• A religious fervor spread across North American in the 1730s as somewhat

of a counterbalance to Enlightenment, declining church attendance• George Whitefield was its leading “itinerant preacher”• Arrived in 1739 from England• Increased church membership greatly• Presbyterianism and Baptism• Encouraged Christianity among slaves• Electrifying public speaker• “Existential Christianity”


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Chapter Review• Life in Chesapeake Bay versus New England• Indentured servants and slavery• Mercantilism, Empire and Colonies• Enlightenment and Great Awakening

HIS 156 Lecture 2- The Bonds of Empire

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