New England vs. Middle - A Freehold society vs. diversity To what extent did the development of a freehold society of New England compare to the diverse, economic driven middle colonies? Do now: What is a Freehold society?

1.What is the scene depicted in this needlework stitched by Connecticut woman Prudence Punderson in the 1770s? 2. What does the image reveal about the experiences of women living in New England in the eighteenth century? 3. Why do you think Punderson entitled this piece The First, Second and Last Scenes of Mortality?

The New England Life… A Freehold society 1.Healthy living 2.Extended life spans 3.Strong family bonds 4.Closely knit towns and churches 5.Demanding economic and moral environment 6.Restriction on women – women seen as a “helpmate” no equality within the church Life for women differed…Southern women held much more power while New England women were expected to have 10 babies

The Northern Maritime Economy America…the Land of Opportunity:  This allowed for class differences to emerge, as a small group of aristocrats (made up of the rich farmers, merchants, officials, clergymen) had much of the power. The Merchants were becoming wealthy from the wars and trade. West Indian trade created American merchant fortunes Transatlantic commerce spurred the growth of port cities; Boston, New York and Charleston The Domestic and Atlantic trade stimulated major economic growth in the colonies; taverns, horse stables, barrel-making, etc…

Urban Society – Maritime economy Upper classes – Wealthy merchants imitated British upper classes through architecture, consumption, and genteel culture. Middle ranks – Artisans and shopkeepers made up nearly half the population. Innkeepers, butchers, seamstresses, shoemakers, etc... Lower classes – Laboring men and women made up 30 percent of urban population;

The Farm – Inheritance & Society 1.Emigrants wanted farms; poor children worked for farms and poor men strived to be a freeholder. 2.Wealthy Children were given gifts and arranged their marriage – economic more important then love 3.Under marriage, bride give legal ownership of her property; 4.Fathers role was to provide an inheritance for his children

Conflicts in Freehold New England 1.Population increase: with in 50 years, , the population of New England 4x. (100,000 – 400,000) thus forcing farms to be divided and subdivided 2.Less land, meant less control over children b/c of no inheritance. Families attempted to limit the amount of children and tried to move into the frontier. 3.Mode of production was also limited. Families used a system of exchange (labor for goods) and used only a small about of currency.

Economic growth and conflict 1.Opportunity in NYC with Tenancy; long leases and the right to sell any improvements on land – effective in bringing people but slow 2.The use of slave and poor immigrant labor in Eastern PA lead to a new class of Agricultural capitalists. The rise of this wealthy class in Quaker country lead to conflicts. a rendition of the Paxton Boys march on Philly to protest the Quaker peaceful treatment of the Indians

New England vs. Middle - A Freehold society vs. diversity (part II) To what extent did the development of a freehold society of New England compare to the diverse, economic driven middle colonies? Do now: What is Cultural Pluralism?

Colonial Diversity…in the middle colonies 18 th century America is a melting pot of races, cultures, religions and ethnicities. Germans accounted for about 6% of the population The Scots-Irish were about 7% of the population

Religious & Cultural Diversity in middle colonies 1.In Philly alone, 12 different religious denominations by Quakers helped to shape the culture of the region, buying land from the Indians rather than seizing it, leading to the first anti-slave groups 3.Orthodox church officials brought intolerance to the colonies; while other groups enforced acceptable behavior through communal self-discipline.