Chapter 4, Section 5

The Colonies in 1750

Ben Franklin a leading citizens in Philadelphia invited colonist to join a society that promote useful knowledgeThe American Philosophical Society as born

Colonists enjoyed more social equality than people in England did.

However classes still existedGentry: wealthy planters, merchants, lawyers

and royal officialsMiddle class: farmers who worked their own

land, skilled crafts workers, and some trades people3/4of all white colonist belonged to the middle

class

Social Classes

Indentured servants: promised to work without wages for four to seven years for whoever would pay their ocean passage to the Americas

When their term was over they received “freedom dues,” set of clothes, tools and 50 acres of land

Social Classes

Took care the household, her husband, and familyCooked, milked cows, watched children, and

made clothingIn cities a young single women from a poor

family might work as a maid, a cook, or a nurse for a gentry

Women in the Colonies

Others worked as midwives or sewedWomen sometimes learned trades from her

father, brothers, or husbandShoemakers, silversmiths, and butchers

Women in the Colonies

Culture of Africans in the colonies varied greatly

Rice plantations in South Carolina slaves saw few whitesAfrican customs remained strong

African Cultural Influences

In port cities like Charleston more than half the population was black.Worked along the docks making ropes, barrels,

or helping to build shipsIn Virginia and Maryland African traditions

were weakerLess isolated from whites

The Southern colonies

Fewer Africans lived here

The Middle and New England Colonies

Great Awakening: religious movement in the 1730s and 1740s

Jonathan Edwards: a New England preacher set off the Great AwakeningCalled on colonists to examine their lives

Warned listeners that unless they heeded the Bible’s teachings “they would be sinners in the hands of an angry God’

A Renewal of Faith

1739 George Whitefield, an English minister, arrived in the coloniesDrew huge crowdsHe spoke with passion and feeling as he called

on sinners to reform

A Renewal of Faith

Supports of the Great Awakening often split from churches and formed new ones

The growth of new churches forced people to become more tolerant of people with different religions

A Renewal of Faith

New Englanders were most concerned about education

Puritans believed people had a duty to study the Bible

So they need to learn how to read

Concern with Education

1647 Massachusetts assembly passes a law ordering all parents to teach their children to read and understand the principles of religionAll towns with 50 families to hire a school

teacherTowns with 100 families had to set up a

grammar school to prepare boys for college

Public Schools in New England

Public school: school supported by taxesMassachusetts set up the first public schoolsOn e room for all students of all agesParents paid the teacher with corn, peas, or

other foodEach child was expected to bring a share of

wood to burn in the stove

Public Schools in New England

Middle coloniesChurches and individual families set up

private schoolsPupils paid to attendOnly wealthy families could afford to educate their

children

Middle and Southern Colonies

Southern ColoniesFamilies lived to far apart to bring children

together in one buildingSome planters hired tutorsWealthiest planters sent their sons to school in

EnglandSlaves were denied education of any kind

Middle and Southern Colonies

Apprentice: worked for a master to learn a trade or craftEx. Glassmaker, papermaking, printing

Learning by doing

In New England some girls attended dame schools, or private school s, ran by women in their homes

Most school in the colonies accepted only boysGirls learned from their mothers

Education for girls

European scientist tried to use reason and logic to understand the worldDeveloped theories and performed experiments

to test themEx. Isaac Newton’s force of gravity

An Age of Reason

European thinkers tried to use the same principles to study society

They tried to discover natural laws to govern human behavior

This movement became known as the Enlightenment

An Age of Reason

Born the son of a poor soap and candle makerStrong believer in self improvement

Had only two years of schoolingUsed his spare time to study literature,

mathematics, and foreign languagesBecame an important colonial leader

Benjamin Franklin

In Philadelphia he started a successful printing business

Published poor Richards Almanac

Benjamin Franklin

Franklin proved that lightening was a form of electricity

Flew a kite during a thunderstormBolt of lightning struck wire fastened to the

kite and caused a spark

Benjamin Franklin

He convinced Philadelphia to pave streets and to organize a fire company

He and leaders set up the first lending library

Benjamin Franklin