Colonial Society on the Eve of the RevolutionColonial Society on the Eve of the Revolution

Population GrowthPopulation Growth

1700 - 300,000 colonists 1700 - 300,000 colonists (20,000 Blacks)(20,000 Blacks)

1775 - 2,500,000 1775 - 2,500,000 (500,000 Blacks) (500,000 Blacks)

400,000 had come as 400,000 had come as immigrantsimmigrants

400,000 brought as slaves400,000 brought as slaves

The rest of the growth was The rest of the growth was by natural increase.by natural increase.

Population was doubling Population was doubling every 25 years.every 25 years.

The Average age in 1775 The Average age in 1775 was 16.was 16.

1700 - English to 1700 - English to American ratio was 20:1American ratio was 20:1

1775 - English to 1775 - English to American ratio was 3:1American ratio was 3:1

1775 - most settlers are 1775 - most settlers are still east of the Allegheniesstill east of the Alleghenies

A few pioneers had begun A few pioneers had begun crossing into the Kentucky crossing into the Kentucky and Tennessee and Tennessee wilderness.wilderness.

Daniel Boone Escorting Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers through the Settlers through the

Cumberland GapCumberland Gap

1775 - Largest colonies by 1775 - Largest colonies by population were Virginia, population were Virginia, Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Maryland. Carolina and Maryland.

Only 4 major cities - Only 4 major cities - Philadelphia (34,000) New Philadelphia (34,000) New York, Boston and York, Boston and Charleston.Charleston.

America was 90% Rural.America was 90% Rural.

Ethnic Composition.Ethnic Composition.

1775 - the population was 1775 - the population was still predominantly English.still predominantly English.

6% German, 7% Scotch 6% German, 7% Scotch LowlandersLowlanders

Scots - IrishScots - Irish

transported from Scotland transported from Scotland to Northern Irelandto Northern Ireland

1700’s many immigrated 1700’s many immigrated to Americato America

Most initially settled in Most initially settled in Pennsylvania but found Pennsylvania but found the best land taken by the best land taken by Quakers and Germans.Quakers and Germans.

The Scots-Irish moved out The Scots-Irish moved out onto the frontier and down onto the frontier and down the east face of the the east face of the Appalachians.Appalachians.

They brought the art of They brought the art of whisky making and strong whisky making and strong sense of rebellion.sense of rebellion.

Paxton Boys and the Paxton Boys and the Regulators.Regulators.

Ethnic PatternsEthnic Patterns

New England was the New England was the least diverseleast diverse

Middle Colonies were the Middle Colonies were the most diverse.most diverse.

The Southern colonies The Southern colonies early on developed the early on developed the black - white ethnic black - white ethnic division.division.

90% of African-Americans 90% of African-Americans were in the South.were in the South.

1775 - half of the 1775 - half of the population outside of New population outside of New England was non-English. England was non-English.

Social StructureSocial Structure

Less stratified than Less stratified than European society.European society.

Few if any nobility.Few if any nobility. Few impoverished Few impoverished

paupers.paupers.

High level of social High level of social mobility - “rags to riches”mobility - “rags to riches”

Society became more Society became more stratified over time.stratified over time.

A few merchants made A few merchants made great fortunes during the great fortunes during the imperial wars of the late imperial wars of the late 17th and early 18th 17th and early 18th century.century.

Rise of cities saw a Rise of cities saw a coincident rise in the coincident rise in the number of poor and number of poor and destitute urban under-destitute urban under-class.class.

New England farms got New England farms got smaller - many young men smaller - many young men turned to manual labor or turned to manual labor or headed west.headed west.

In the south, land was In the south, land was increasingly concentrated increasingly concentrated into large plantations.into large plantations.

wealth was measured by the wealth was measured by the amount of land and slaves amount of land and slaves one owned.one owned.

Social stratification Social stratification increased - landless, increased - landless, indentured servants, ex-indentured servants, ex-convicts and black slaves convicts and black slaves making up the bottom of making up the bottom of the social order.the social order.

Occupational OrderOccupational Order

Clergy were the most Clergy were the most highly esteemed members highly esteemed members of the community.of the community.

Doctors were mostly Doctors were mostly unskilled and ignorant.unskilled and ignorant.

Diseases were rampant Diseases were rampant and there was little that and there was little that doctors at the time could doctors at the time could do. Bleeding was still a do. Bleeding was still a common practice.common practice.

Smallpox vaccination was Smallpox vaccination was being tested in the early being tested in the early 1700’s.1700’s.

Lawyers were considered Lawyers were considered the lowest sort.the lowest sort.

Their prestige increased Their prestige increased over time. over time.

Farmers were the Farmers were the backbone of society and backbone of society and the Planter gentlemen the Planter gentlemen were the ideal.were the ideal.

MercantilismMercantilism Wealth was limited.Wealth was limited. One nation’s gain was One nation’s gain was another’s loss.another’s loss.

Goal was to export Goal was to export more than you import.more than you import.

Favorable Balance of Favorable Balance of Trade.Trade.

Bring in gold and Bring in gold and silver to your country.silver to your country.

Economic activity should Economic activity should be regulated by the be regulated by the government.government.

Colonies should provide Colonies should provide staple crops and raw staple crops and raw materials to the mother materials to the mother country.country.

Trade rivalries with the Trade rivalries with the Dutch led the Navigation Dutch led the Navigation Acts of 1651, 1660, 1663 Acts of 1651, 1660, 1663 and 1673.and 1673.

Colonial trade had to be Colonial trade had to be on British or American on British or American ships.ships.

Enumerated goods had Enumerated goods had to go only to an English to go only to an English or another American port.or another American port.

All imports had to go All imports had to go through Britain first.through Britain first.

Smugglers got around the Smugglers got around the Acts which were not Acts which were not strongly enforced. strongly enforced.

The Acts helped New The Acts helped New England ship builders.England ship builders.

They hurt the tobacco They hurt the tobacco farmers of the farmers of the Chesapeake.Chesapeake.

Colonial Trade PatternsColonial Trade Patterns The “Triangular” trade The “Triangular” trade

system.system.

Molasses from the Indies Molasses from the Indies would become rum in New would become rum in New England which would be England which would be traded for slaves to make traded for slaves to make the Middle Passage to the the Middle Passage to the New World.New World.

TransportationTransportation

Few roads - waterways Few roads - waterways were important for were important for transportationtransportation

ChurchesChurches

Established churchesEstablished churchesNew England= New England=

CongregationalistCongregationalistVirginia = Anglican Virginia = Anglican

Most were not membersMost were not members

Great AwakeningGreat Awakening Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards

denounced salvation denounced salvation through good works.through good works.

George Whitefield - toured George Whitefield - toured the colonies and preached at the colonies and preached at tent revivals.tent revivals.

Old Lights vs. New Old Lights vs. New LightsLights Conservatives disliked the Conservatives disliked the

emotionalism of emotionalism of Whitefield.Whitefield.

New lights defended the New lights defended the revitalization.revitalization.

New Light UniversitiesNew Light Universities

Dartmouth, Brown, Dartmouth, Brown, Rutgers and Princeton Rutgers and Princeton founded to train evangelist founded to train evangelist preachers.preachers.