Chapter 4: The Colonies Develop

Distinct Regions Develop Between 1700 and 1750, population of colonies quadruples ,000 colonial settlers ,170,000 colonial settlers

Distinct Regions Develop Four distinct regions emerge: –New England colonies –Middle colonies –Southern colonies –Backcountry

New England Colonies New England composed of New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut New England has short growing season, rocky soil. This makes farming difficult.

New England Towns Puritan settlers, small towns with meetinghouse at center of the town Congregation divided the land among the members of its church Farmhouses clustered around town Most farmers produced just enough for themselves (subsistence farming)

New England and the Atlantic Atlantic Ocean provides economic opportunity New England has some of the worlds best fishing grounds Also had a lot of timber for shipbuilding Shipbuilding, fishing and trade become key parts of economy

New England Trading New England settlers had 3 types of trade: –With other colonies –Direct trade with Europe –Triangular trade

Triangular Trade New England trades goods (rum, iron) to Africa, cargo exchanged for slaves. Africa to West Indies, slaves traded for sugar/molasses. West Indies to New England, sugar traded for finished goods.

Navigation Acts England wants some of the profits from the triangular trade Passed the Navigation Acts –Shipping had to be done in English ships or ships made in English colonies –Products like sugar and tobacco could only be sold to England or its colonies –Imports to colonies had to pass through English ports –English officials tax any colonial goods not shipped to England

Navigation Acts 1651 England has trouble enforcing acts Merchants ignored the acts whenever possible Smuggling- importing or exporting goods illegally- was common

African Americans in New England Few slaves in New England. Not as economical on farms. There were some slaves in larger towns and cities. Worked as servants, cooks, stable hands. Some enslaved peoples were able to buy their freedom

African Americans in New England New England has more free blacks than any other region Still not treated as equals Free black men might become a merchant, sailor, carpenter, landowner

Changes in Puritan Society Decline in Puritanism Many reasons: –Drive for economic success –Competition from other religious groups –Political changes (religious freedom, voting rights)

Middle Colonies

The Middle Colonies New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware Immigrants from all over Europe come to the Middle colonies Longer growing season than New England, fertile soil

Farming-Middle Colonies Longer growing season lets farmers grow cash crops (crops raised to be sold) Middle colonies produce so much grain that they are called the “breadbasket” of the colonies

Gristmills Crops like wheat and corn were taken to a gristmill Here it is crushed between heavy stones to produce flour or meal Most powered by water wheels along the river

Cities emerge in Middle Colonies Harbors along the coasts were ideal for cities (NYC on Hudson, Philadelphia on Delaware) Merchants exported cash crops, imported manufactured goods Philadelphia becomes fastest growing city in the colonies

Philadelphia grows Philly grows due to trade in cash crops, shipyards emerge as a result. Public projects improve city.

New York grows through trade New York ports trade cash crops as well as whale oil and furs

Diversity in Middle Colonies Diverse- variety of people Many German immigrants come as indentured servants escaping religious intolerance Other groups include Irish, French, Scottish, Dutch, English

Religious Tolerance Many different groups contribute to culture in Middle colonies This made it difficult for one group to dominate others Region’s diversity helps to promote tolerance Quakers and Dutch also promote religious tolerance (first settlers there)

African Americans in Middle Colonies Tolerance in the region did not prevent slavery % of population enslaved. Slaves were manual laborers, servants, drivers Free black men and women worked as laborers, sailors

Slave Revolt slaves revolted. Killed 9, set fire to a building. Wound others who tried to put out the fire. They were caught and punished harshly. Force and violence used to keep slaves from rebelling.

Southern Colonies

Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia South has fertile soil and almost a year- round growing season Ideal for cash crops such as rice and tobacco, takes a lot of labor

Plantation Economy Plantations were largely self-sufficient, nearly everything the planters, families and workers need are produced there Planters able to transport crops through many waterways in the south Large cities are rare in the south

The Turn to Slavery By the end of the 1600’s, plantations were having difficulty getting enough laborers White indentured servants couldn’t be kept on plantations permanently They were able to buy land and start their own farms Bacon’s Rebellion

Turn to Slavery Due to labor shortage, slaves imported from Africa. By 1750, there are over 235,000 slaves in the colonies (over 85% of them in the south). 40% of the population in the south is enslaved.

Plantation Economy Expands Due to slave labor, plantations able to expand (clear fields, drain swamps) Planter class become elites in southern society. Control political and economic power.

Slave Life on Plantations Worked in groups of , watched by overseer Worked around 15 hrs per day (typically all the daylight) Lived in small 1 room cabins with a cot Weekly food: ¼ bushel of corn, 1 lb. pork Despite harsh conditions, preserve many customs and beliefs

Resistance to Slavery Some fought against slavery (work slowly, damage goods) Stono Rebellion- 1739, 20 slaves in South Carolina. Killed landowners, hoped to escape to Florida. All killed in battle or executed.

Slave Codes Revolts and fear of revolts led planters to make slave codes Slaves not allowed to leave plantations, meet with free blacks Many other rights restricted

The Backcountry

Geography of backcountry Region of dense forests, and rushing streams around the Appalachian Mountains Appalachians stretch from eastern Canada south to Alabama Easy for family to start a small farm Forests provide wood for houses Springs and streams provide water

Settlers First Europeans make a living trading with Native Americans Farmers followed the traders, as settlements grew conflicts with natives begin Cabins constructed with wood, holes filled with mud, clay, moss

Scots-Irish Came from a borderland between Scotland and England, Scots living in Ireland Poverty and crop failures cause them to migrate to North America Most live in backcountry, had a clan system (groups of families that have a common ancestor)

Backcountry Life Rough roads and rivers make it hard to move goods Farmers had to be self-reliant Furnish and build own houses, hunt and raise animals

Others in North America Backcountry starts because people want to move west for land Leads to conflict with Native Americans French occupy eastern Canada down the Mississippi to New Orleans West/Mid-West occupied by Spain Colonies have to unite at times, developing an American identity