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Colonial
Society
People of the English Colonies
Various people in the English
colonies came from England, Scotland, Ireland,
Germany, Holland, Sweden, Finland, France, and countries of west Africa.
The people of different backgrounds settled in respective colonies.
English
English settled along the Atlantic coast.
Scots
Scots settled in Pennsylvania and in the Appalachians.
Germans
Germans settled in Pennsylvania.
Other European Settlers
Dutch settled in New York.
Swedes and Finns settled in the Delaware Valley.
French settled throughout the colonies.
Africans
Africans "settled" throughout the colonies.
The black's trip to the New World differed from that of whites in that
slave ships were greatly crowded, slaves were poorly fed, and thousands
died.
Life in the English Colonies
Work Roles
Land was the economic base of colonial America.
Cities were important to colonial America as centers of trade.
Merchants: brought in goods the colony needed and sold what the colony
produced.
Indentured Servants: were bound to work for someone in America, usually
from five to seven years, to pay for their voyage from Europe. They were
important in the English colonies as they provided a large work force.
Slaves: the first Africans to come to the English colonies came as indentured
servants, not slaves. Later laws made their terms of service continuous.
They were important in the English colonies as they provided a large
work force.
Colonial Life
The family was the cornerstone of colonial society.
Social Activities: reading, music, games, hunting, fishing, and celebrations.
Women's Rights: women had few political or civil rights; however, they
took on great responsibilities in caring for homes, farms, and businesses.
Religion: was one of the important influences on colonial life.
Regions in the Colonies
Geographic regions of the colonies were different from one another in
climate, soil, land formation, political system, economic system, and
social patterns.
Early colleges established in each region during colonial times include:
Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth established in New England; the College
of New Jersey (Princeton), Philadelphia College (University of Pennsylvania),
Columbia, and Rutgers in the Middle Colonies; William and Mary in the
Southern
Colonies.
New England Colonies
Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, including
Maine.
Education: Massachusetts had a tax-supported school system.
The Economy: most people had small farms, shipbuilding and fishing were
important industries, molasses was brought from the West Indies to make
rum (this and manufactured goods were traded for slaves: triangular trade).
Middle Colonies
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware (also called the "Bread
Colonies").
Education: public education was not widespread.
The Economy: farming (especially grains), manufacturing done in homes,
sawmills, flour mills, and brick mills (for building homes).
Southern Colonies
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Education: children taught at home, most received little formal education.
The Economy: farming, exporting and importing, large plantations.
Colonial products in demand in England were tobacco, rice, and indigo.
Southern planters were able to make large profits because they did not
pay the slaves.
Western Frontier
Life on the frontier was rugged, with no luxuries, manners, or fancy
clothes. Settlers lived isolated lives and supplied their own material,
educational,
and spiritual needs.
From Conflict to Unity
Colonists and Indians
There was conflict between Indians and colonists because the settlers
were taking Indian land.
New England Confederation: was formed to protect its members from hostile
actions by the French and Dutch as well as by the Indians.
King Philip's War: several Indian groups in New England joined together
with this Wampanoag chief to drive settlers from the land. Their actions
made longtime enemies of the northeastern Indians and the New England
colonists.
Relations in Pennsylvania: The relations were good at the beginning;
however, as the Scots began moving into western lands conflicts between
settlers
and Indians became frequent.
Colonists and the Crown
Differences that developed between the colonies and the king of England
include: English government set up stricter regulations on the colonies,
but colonial business leaders looked for ways to avoid them.
Mercantilism: affected the colonies as it hurt the economy, but created
colonial monopolies on the sale of tobacco, rice, and indigo.
Mercantile Laws: mercantilism was a means for England to make a profit
from its colonies, and the laws made this possible.
Benefits: some colonists were able to monopolize the economy, and many
who traded overseas were protected by the powerful English navy.
The British and the French
Intercolonial Wars: both countries wanted to extend their empires, and
sometimes claimed the same lands in North America. The British and French
engaged in a series of wars around the world to see who would be the
leading European power. Each side had several Indian allies who aided
them in their
efforts. In 1754, the two nations fought over who controlled the Ohio
Valley. A British commander, George Washington, was sent with a force
to stop the
French from building Fort Duquesne. He was driven off and this began
the Seven Years War (also known as the French and Indian War).
A Plan of Union: Under this plan, the colonies would join together under
a president general named by the king. A grand council would also be
created, elected by the colonial assemblies. Together with the king and
the president
general, it would make laws for the colonists. The colonial governors
and the king rejected Benjamin Franklin's Plan of Union because neither
wished
to give up or share power.
French and Indian War: The French were successful at the beginning of
the war; however, the British, under the leadership of General Pitt,
used their money and army wisely. The British went on the offensive and
defeated
the French in many battles. The French encouraged the Spanish to help
them defeat the British in 1762. Nevertheless, France also suffered defeats
in Europe, India, and the West Indies and agreed to surrender. In 1763,
a treaty was signed ending the war. The results of the Treaty of Paris
were: Britain received Canada and the lands east of the Mississippi River
from France, and Florida from Spain.
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