Chapter 5 COLONIAL SOCIETY ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION The Peale Family, by Charles Willson Peale, ca

Conquest by the Cradle  Populations were growing dramatically  In 1775, the most populous colonies were Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Maryland.  Between 1700 and 1775 colonies doubled their population every 25 years. Reasons:  Change in the ratio of blacks to white  90% of population lived in rural areas. p86

Population Location Most of population cooped up between Atlantic and Appalachian, Vanguard of settlers across mountains and as far as Tenn. and Kentucky. Va., Mass., Pa, NC and Maryland were the biggest colonies, in that order. Philly the biggest city with 34,000.

A Mingling of the Races Colonial America was a melting pot by Germans (6%) (150,000) Scots-Irish (7%) Other Europeans (5%) Africans (20%)

Year p86

Scots-Irish From Scotland to N Ireland Impoverished, not well educated Resistant to authority Anti-English dominant culture of the Appalachians

Clerics, Physicians, and Jurists Most honored of the professions was the Christian ministry. Most physicians were poorly trained and not highly esteemed. The first medical school came in Epidemics were a constant nightmare. A crude form of inoculation was introduced in Powdered dried toad was a favorite prescription for smallpox. Diphtheria was also a killer, especially of young people.

Structure Of Colonial Society By the mid 1700s, the richest 10% of Bostonians and Philadelphians owned 2/3 of the taxable wealth in their cities. By 1750, Boston contained a large number of homeless poor, who were compelled to wear a large red “P” on their clothing. In all the colonies the ranks of the lower classes were further swelled by the continuing stream of indentured servants. Compared to Europe, America was a land of equality and opportunity — except for slavery. Most remarkable feature was the ease with which could go from rags to riches on the social scale.

Structure Of Colonial Society By 1776 social stratification beginning to set in. Raised some barriers to upward mobility and fears that America becoming Europeanized. Reasons? The Jethro Coffin House, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, was built in the 1680s and is a good example of colonial New England architecture. Because glass was quite expensive in colonial America, houses of this period almost all had very small windows.

Workaday America Agriculture was the leading industry — 90% of the people  Tobacco the Staple crop in Maryland and Virginia  Grain the primary crop in the Middle colonies.

Workaday America Colonist standard of living compared to rest of world. Major Industry in New England?  Fishing/whaling  Trade  Quintessential Yankee Trader

Nature of Trade What was being traded to Europe? From Europe? What is the Triangular Trade?

Map 5.3: Colonial Trade Patterns, c. 1770

Colonial Manufacturing Manufacturing was limited and only of secondary importance. Reasons:  1)partly due to lack of money to invest  2) partly due to lack of laborers and  3) partly due to mercantilism.

Lumbering Lumbering was the most important manufacturing activity. Why were British so hungry for American timber?  British Navy and merchant marines needed wood  1/3 of British merchant marine (Ships) was American-built.  Rosin, pitch, tar and turpentine were also highly valued by shippers

Economic Problem in the 1730s What economic problems faced US in 1730s?  England saturated with American products.  Americans need cash and the only way to get cash is through sale of American goods.  Thus, Americans want to tap other markets to sell their goods.  Are shipping a lot of timber and food to the French West Indies, which is providing cash for Americans to buy from England.  But………

Molasses Act of 1733 What did it say? What was the intent of the act? How do Colonists react?

Dominant Denominations Two established (tax supported) churches were dominant in the colonies—  Anglican (Church of England)  Congregational (Puritan)  Many colonists did not attend church.

Anglican Church Official church in Ga., North and South Carolina, Va. and Maryland. Strongest in the south Why did Britain want to increase its power? Not very fervent. Clergy was poorly trained. Anglicans lacked a bishop in America, thus all ministers had to train in England. Colonists resisted idea of an American Bishop.  Why?

Congregational Church Congregational church formally established in all NE colonies except RI. Was a hotbed for rebellion, and as rebellion neared ministers often preached sedition from the pulpit.

The Great Awakening Causes:  People less fervent.  Puritan churches struggling. Why?  “Dead dog” ministers.  Ministers worried that the people had grown soft.  Liberal ideas began to challenge old time religion. p96

The Great Awakening A religious revival in ’s Spread like wildfire. Was a reaction against the rationalism and enlightenment of the period that put reason above God. Reaction against complacency of religion. First North American Mass Movement

Jonathan Edwards  Started Great Awakening.  Deep thinker; burned with righteousness  Views on Salvation.  Famous sermon: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.

George Whitefield  More eloquent.  Tried to lead people back to God through the passion of his rhetoric.  Revival meeting.  His message.

Results of the Great Awakening People split off to new churches Undermined older clergy New denominations Increased missionary work Founding of new colleges Broke down sectional boundaries and contributed to sense of Americans as one people.

Schools and Colleges English view of education. New England schools Middle Colonies South-Field System Universities in America Harvard

Pioneer Presses Most people could not buy books. Only a few libraries based. Colonial newspapers. Newspapers typically contained dull essays and commentaries. Zenger Case p100

The Great Game of Politics Originally:  8 were royal colonies.  3 were proprietorships ( Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware)  2 had self-governing charters (Connecticut and Rhode Island.) By time of Revolution, most were royal. The Old State House, Boston � s oldest public building, was built in 1713 as the seat of British colonial government. Here the Royal Governor and the Massachusetts Assembly debated the Stamp Acts and the Writs of Assistance. The Declaration of Independence was first read to Bostonians from the east balcony on July 18, 1776.

Common Features in Governments Almost all the colonies used a two-house legislature. Powers of Legislatures Ability to Control the Governors Religious and/or property- owning requirements for vote existed in all colonies. Town meetings