Life in 17th CenturyEnglish Colonies

The Economic, Social, & Political Culture of the

English Colonies

Colonial Society in the 17th Century:

New EnglandNew England

Families in New England■New England society was much

more stable than other colonies:

–New England Puritans migrated to America as familiesfamilies

–Marriage was easy as most people shared common values

–Colonists lived longer due to more a dispersed population, purer water, & a cooler climate

Possibly the 1st society in history to reasonably expect to live long

enough to see their grandchildren

Towns became networks of intermarried families

New England “invented” grandparents

Education in New England■NE towns regarded education as

fundamental family responsibility; towns began to create elementary schools funded with local taxes:–NE had, by far, the highest

literacy rate in America–In 1638, Harvard

became America’s first college

Women in New England■Was the colonial era the “golden

age” for women?

–Women contributed to society as wives & mothers, devout church members, & ran small-scale farms

■But were not equals with men:

–Women could not legally own or sell property; divorce was difficult

–Women did what “God ordained”

Colonial Society in the 17th Century:The ChesapeakeThe Chesapeake

Families in the Chesapeake■“Normal, English” family life was

impossible in Virginia:– 70-85% of immigrants were

young maleyoung male indentured servants – High death rate (average age

was 10-20 years lower than NE)– One married spouse often died

within a decade– Children often never knew their

parents (let alone grandparents)

Women in Chesapeake Society■Scarcity gave some women

bargaining power in the marriage market; allowed some women to improve their social status

■But women were vulnerable:–sexual exploitation–Childbearing was dangerous–Chesapeake women died 20

years earlier than women in NE

Chesapeake Culture ■By 1680, social mobility in the

Chesapeake was limited:–An American-born elite class

had emerged (this social aristocracy was absent earlier)

–The plantation economy & ownership of slaves allowed the gentry to produce more tobacco

–High death rates halted the development of schools & towns

Colonial Society in the 17th Century:

African SlavesAfrican Slaves

The Roots of Slavery■The importation of African slaves

was based on a “need” for labor:–Native Americans made poor

slaves because they were decimated by European disease

–Indentured servant-pool waned after 1660

■An estimated 11 million slaves (mostly males) were brought to the English American colonies

The Roots of Slavery■Slaves were originally treated as

indentured servants but the growing black population in VA by 1672 prompted stricter slave laws:

–Africans were defined as slaves for life; permanent slave status was passed on to slave children

–By 1700, slavery was based exclusively on skin colorskin color

The Slave Population■In the Chesapeake & Southern

colonies with large black populations, slaves found it easier to maintain their African culture

■By 1720, the African population became self-sustainingself-sustaining:–Fertility rates exceeded

immigration rates for the 1st time–Did not occur in the Caribbean

or in South America

60% in SC40% in VAFree & enslaved blacks were much less numerous in NE & Middle colonies

The Slave Population■Widespread resentment of their

slave status led to resistance in the 18th Century:

–Armed resistance such as the Stono RebellionStono Rebellion of 1739 (SC)

–In 1741, 106 slaves were hung or deported due to a rumor that slaves planned to burn NYC

–Runaway slaves were common

150 blacks rose up & seized a munitions hold & killed several white planters

The Colonial Economy in the 17th

Century:Commercial EmpireCommercial Empire

Economic Diversity of the

English Colonies

Rise of a Commercial Empire

■English gov’t largely ignored the colonies until the 1650s (salutary salutary neglectneglect); The colonies were not state-funded nor state protected

■But…Charles II initiated colonial intervention in 1660 to maximize exports, decrease imports, & generate more gov’t revenue

Response to Economic Competition■“MercantilismMercantilism” became the

blueprint for England’s empire:–Wanted more money & a

favorable balance of trade–Wanted to eliminate Dutch rivals–Wanted a stronger navy

■Began to restrict colonial trade:–Navigation Act of 1660–Navigation Act of 1663

No ship could trade in colonies unless it was

made in England

“Enumerated goods” (tobacco, sugar,

cotton, rice, rosin, tar) could only be

sent to English portsGoods shipped to English colonies must pass through England (Increased the price paid by colonial consumers)

Implementing the Acts ■NE merchants found loopholes to

avoid paying taxes so the English made more restrictions:–In 1696, created a Board of

Trade to oversee colonial trade–Created maritime courts to

mediate disputes ■The Navigation Acts eventually

benefited the colonial merchants & smuggling virtually ended

Colonial Factions Spark Political Revolt,

1676-1691

Bacon's Rebellion in Virginia■Former indentured servants living

in the VA frontier suffered due to: –Poor tobacco prices in 1660s –Indian attacks in 1675

■These farmers blamed VA’s royal governor Berkeley who did little to help; Nathaniel BaconNathaniel Bacon led a rebellion in 1676 against Berkeley & was joined by small farmers, blacks, & women

King Philip’s War■In 1675, Metacom (“King Philip”)

led the Wampanoag Indians against NE colonists:–1,000+ Indians & colonists died–Large war debt led James II to

annul the Mass Bay charter & create the “Dominion of New Dominion of New EnglandEngland” by combining Mass, Conn, RI, Plymouth, NY, NJ, & NH under a new royal charter

King Philip’s War

Dominion of New England■Edmund Andros was hated by

Puritans, moderates, & merchants

■In 1689, Andros was deposed when William & Mary began reign

■Massachusetts was given a new charter that incorporated Plymouth but shifted power from the “elect" to those with property

Witchcraft in New England■Charges of witchcraft were

common in New England■But the “Salem panic” of 1691 led

to 20 public executions before the trials were halted in 1692

■Possible causes: –argument over church ministers–poor farmers accusing rich

farmers to gain land–reactions to independent women

Salem Witch Trials

Conclusions■By 1700:

–England’s attitude toward the colonies had changed dramatically

–Sectional differences within the colonies were profound

–All the colonies were all part of Great Britain but had little to do with each other

Experience of Empire: 18th Century America

American Colonial Culture: 1700-1780

Growth & Diversity in 18th Century America

Growth & Diversity in British America

■By 1770, the English colonies became much more different from New Spain & New France:

–Population boomed 1,000% due to increased birth rates, falling death rates, & a huge wave of non-English immigration

–Surging economic growth

–New political & religious ideas

Distribution of EuropeanEuropean

& African African ImmigrantsImmigrants in British

North America by 1770

18th Century Immigrants■1790 census showed less than

50% of American colonists were English; 18th Century immigration brought unprecedented diversity:–African slaves were largest

group to immigrate –The Transportation Act (1718)

allowed English judges to send convicted felons to the colonies (50,000 forcibly immigrated)

18th Century Immigrants ■The Scotch-Irish were the largest

European group to immigrate:–Initially welcomed as a frontier

barrier between Indians & PA–Challenged authority wherever

they settled■Germans were the 2nd largest

European group to immigrate:–Seen as hard-working farmers–Clung to German traditions

rather than “Anglicizing”

18th Century American Commerce

Economic Transformation■ In the 1700s, Spanish & French

colonial economies stagnated but English colonial economies grew:–Led to an increased standard of

living & affluence for Americans–The colonial economy kept pace

with its expanding population–English mercantilism increased

a desire for American products (esp. tobacco & sugar)

Birth of a Consumer Society■The availability of cheap English

mass-produced goods led to a rise in colonial consumption–Colonists grew an insatiable

desire for goods from “home” –The increase in inter-colonial &

Caribbean trade gave colonists the money they needed to buy British manufactured goods

–But, many colonists fell heavily in debt to English merchants

American Urban Life■Few colonists lived in cities:

–Boston, Newport, New York, Philadelphia, & Charles Town contained only 5% of total colonial population

–Cities were geared toward intermediary trade but…

–Cities began to attract colonists seeking opportunities

18th Century American Politics

Contrasting Colonial Politics ■Unlike state-controlled Spanish &

French colonies, the English colonies were decentralized:–All colonies (except CT & RI)

had royal governors–But all had colonial assemblies

that controlled local finances –Colonies were notnot democratic;

Power was centralized with the wealthy, landed elite

The legacy of “Salutary Neglect”

English Control over America■In the 18th century, England

maintained a unique political & economic relationship with America:

■As long as the colonies were profitable few British regulations were enforced & colonists could do as they pleased

Economic relationship was defined by mercantilism

Political relationship was defined by salutary neglect

The Great Awakening

Decline in Religious Devotion ■The 1700s saw a decline in

religious devotion:–Outside of NE, 1 in 15 people

was a member of a church–NE suffered a decline in church

attendance (1:5 were members)–Church sermons were seen by

many as “cold” & impersonal ■Led to a rise in ArminianismArminianism

(free will, not predestination)

The Half-Way CovenantHalf-Way Covenant (1662) was a way for NE churches to

increase membership to the “unconverted” children

The Great Awakening■The Great Awakening was a

series of revivals among Protestants in which of people experienced religious conversion in response to gifted preaching

■It was not a unified movement; Great Awakenings occurred in many denominations in different places at different times

Was not really “American” either as similar phenomena occurred in Europe

The Great Awakening hit New England in the 1730s & in Virginia in 1750s & 1760s

The Great Awakening■The 1st stirrings of the Great

Awakening began with Jonathan Jonathan EdwardsEdwards in Northhampton, MA:

–Used “fire & passion” to reach the discontent youth of NE

–Encouraged people to examine their eternal destiny

A reading from “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (1741)

The Great Awakening■George WhitefieldGeorge Whitefield became the

most popular of the evangelists of the Great Awakening

–He preached outdoor sermons to 1,000s in nearly every colony

–As a result, itinerants disrupted their established churches claiming ministers were not taught to see the “New Light”

From Authority to From Authority to Individualism Activity: Individualism Activity:

Comparing Puritanism, Comparing Puritanism, the Great Awakening, & the Great Awakening, &

the Enlightenmentthe Enlightenment

The Great Awakening■The impact of the Great Awakening

–New universities such as Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, & Rutgers were formed to educate “New Light” preachers

–1st “national” event; Encouraged contact among scattered colonists in different regions

–Empowered non-elites to challenge their social superiors

Including women & African-Americans