Middle Colonies Section Three

If you were there… You are a farmer in southern Germany in 1730. Religious wars have torn your country apart for many years. Now you hear stories about a place in America where people of all religions are welcome. But the leaders of the colony and many of its people are English. You would not know their language or customs. Still, you would be free to live and worship as you like. How would you feel about moving to a country full of strangers? Consider what you may gain or lose

Section 3: The Middle Colonies The Big Idea People from many nations settled in the middle colonies. Main Ideas The English created New York and New Jersey from former Dutch territory. William Penn established the colony of Pennsylvania The economy of the middle colonies was supported by trade and staple crops.

Chronology (Copy Down) 1664-England Conquest of New Netherlands (becomes New York and New Jersey) 1681-Founding of Pennsylvania 1704-Delaware was established

New York and New Jersey The Dutch founded New Amsterdam on Manhattan Island in 1613. It was a center for fur trade. The Dutch bought the land with beads, cloths, and hatchets worth $24

New York and New Jersey New Amsterdam (New York City) was center of fur trade. Generous land grants and religious tolerance soon brought Jews, Huguenots, Puritans, and other (including my own ancestor). Peter Stuyvesant led the colony in 1647.

New Amsterdam in 1664

New York The Dutch governor, Peter Stuyvesant, was unpopular and not prepared for the English attack. In 1664, an English fleet captured the city without firing a single shot. They renamed the area, New York, and the city, New York City.

New Jersey The Duke of York made Lord Carteret and Lord Berkeley, proprietors of New Jersey. The land was between Hudson and Delaware Rivers. New Jersey had a diverse population (Dutch, Swedes, Finns, and Scots) and relied on fur trade.

Penn’s Colony Quakers, known as the Society of Friends, did not follow normal religious practices. They believed in nonviolence and dressed plainly and tolerance for all religions. They were persecuted in Europe and the Americas.

William Penn In 1681 William Penn, a Quaker, became the proprietor of a colony west New Jersey that would be called Pennsylvania. It would be a safe haven for Quakers. He even bought land from the Native Americans. Penn limited his power, established an elected assembly, and promised religious freedom to all Christians. He named his capital Philadelphia.

Delaware The Duke of York, in 1682, sold Penn a region south of Pennsylvania called Delaware. This would remain a part of Pennsylvania until 1776

Summary Check Why did William Penn establish Pennsylvania?

Economy of the Middle Colonies They had a combined characteristic of the New England and Southern Colonies. Good climate and rich soil allowed farmers to grow The economy of the middle colonies was supported largely by the cultivation of staple crops-crops that are always needed. Such as: wheat, barley, and oats.

The Big Cities By 1760 Philadelphia was the largest British colonial city, followed by New York City and Boston. Labor needs were filled by indentured servants, who were easier to obtain and less expensive. Slavery was opposed by Quakers and other colonists.

Trade Trade was important to the middle colonies Most colonists made money in the fur trade Merchants exported goods to the markets in Britain and the West Indies. These products included wheat.

Colonial Men Clothes When a boy turned 5-6 years old, he could dress as an adult. Wigs were made from human, horse, and goat hair. The term “big wig” comes from wealthy and powerful men who would giant wig

Summary Check What was the Middle Colonies economies based on?

Colonial Women Women made important contributions to the economy. Average age of married women was 23, and the average number of children was 7 They ran farms and businesses such as clothing and grocery stores, bakery, and drugstores. Some also practiced medicine and worked as nurses and midwives. However most worked in the home, and managed the household. They sometimes earned money for their families by selling products like butter, or washing clothes.

Food and Cooking Breakfast-a bowl of porridge (made of cornmeal, oats, or beans), or some bread and a cup of beer. (Kids drank watered down cider and beer) Lunch-Meat, bread, vegetables, and beer Dinner-Meat stew or meat pie, porridge, and beer or cider. (The average family would stand, eat with their hands, and only have a knife to use) Wealthy could afford to eat coffee,, beef, wine, sugar, and chocolate. They had silverware and chairs to sit on. Meals were eaten off wooden plates

Children’s games Their wasn’t much time to play as a kid, however the most popular games were tag, blindmans bluff, London bridge, hopscotch, or hide-and-seek. If you were lucky you might have a spinning top, rag dolls, checkers, dominoes, jacks, marbles, cards, or toy soldiers. Summer activities include kite flying, berry picking, swimming, and fishing, while in winter their was sledding and ice skating. In quieter times you would read a book. Their wasn’t any children's or teenager books. The most popular were the Bible, Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver;s Travel, and Aesops Fables.

Daily Life On the Farm In the City Typical farming families lived in a one or two room house with dirt floors The only day farmers didn’t work was on Sundays Colonial farmers rarely bathed or even changed their clothes. Taverns became a place of meeting to eat and discuss politics Major fashion in the cities was to wear large powdered wigs Dances were the primary form of entertainment.

Draw and label The Middle Colonies on your notes

Questions (pages 85-87) Who owned New York City first, and what was its original name? What was the capital of Pennsylvania? What beliefs did Quakers hold? What were the staple crops of the middle colonies? How did women contribute to the Middle Colonies? List the event that occurred on each of the dates below 1613 1647 1664 1681

Go to page 88-89 of your textbook