Chapter 4: Life 1607- 1692
The Chesapeake Area These settlements grew slowly- High Fatality Rate. Half of those born in VA died by age 20. Big Diseases: Malaria, Dysentery, Typhoid Fever Relied heavily on immigration to improve pop.
Gender Diversity 1650 - 6:1 male to female ratio Young Women didn’t stay single for long
Tobacco’s work force By 1700’s- 40 million pounds of Tobacco are produced each year Labor is in demand Family/Natives/ Slave trade aren’t working.
Indentured Servants Young men are displaced by enclosure and wool trade collapse. Offered their services for passage to Colonies Work 4-7 years, receive supplies after to farm for themselves
Headright System Whomever paid for the passage of a laborer received the right to acquire the right to 50 acres of land Planters could acquire lots of land fast. 100,000 indentured servants by 1700
Free Indentured Servants Once these servants are free from obligation, they lack options. Disenfranchised men. They are a large, unhappy population.
Bacon’s Rebellion 1676- Nathaniel Bacon: indentured servant. leads a group of these freed indentured servants in a rebellion. They rebel because they are forced further west to find land. As well, the government isn’t letting these men profit the fur trade.
Expansion of Slavery
Slavery 400,000 slaves come to America. Most come after 1700. 1670- 2,000 slaves in Virginia (total pop. 35,000)
Royal African Company 1698- company lost its charter Opens the trade up to enterprising Americans. 1700- 1710- 10,000 slaves sent to American colonies.
Slave Experience These slaves were pushed out of their homes in Africa. Middle Passage- The ocean voyage to the American Colonies 20% fatality rate.
Slave Culture Language: Gullah, Mixture of Native African and English Music: Banjo, Bongo, Jazz Music Some become skilled tradesmen( carpenters, tanners, masons)
Slave Revolts Slaves suffering. Try to change situation New York slave revolt- 1712, 9 whites and 21 slaves died. South Carolina- 1739, 50 slaves tried to move to Spanish Florida
Mercantilism A country’s economic success is shaped by the amount of hard currency it can obtain. Colonies serve to help “parent’ country to accrue wealth. Colonies provide raw materials and goods for production and will be heavily regulated from trading with other countries.
Southern Life Large plantation owners come into power. First Families of Virginia- Washingtons, Lees others. Wield a lot of power Few Cities in the South- Life centers around the farm.
Southern Government Virginia creates the first Representative body in 13 colonies: House of Burgesses The South will not have a formal aristocracy, like England, but, if you do not own land or if you are a woman, you will have few rights.
New England Life Much healthier lifestyle than in the South. Cool temperatures meant clean water and less disease. People live on average 10 years longer than in the South
New England Families Immigration of families in New England. (South was primarily single men) Women expected to produce many children. Longevity made families stable
Women’s rights Southern women often had the right to property(men die young, women hold onto property if they remarry) New England women had limited property rights. They could hold onto property as a widow. Lost right anytime they were married.
Marriage Laws sought to maintain Marital Integrity. Divorce is extremely uncommon. Only could divorce in cases of Adultery/abandonment. Women treated harshly for Adultery ( Scarlet Letter)
Life in a Colonial Town New England was orderly- Each family given land, Education for children, High literacy rate The South was undertaken by more individual endeavors. Town structure wasn’t organized.
Congregational Church This is what the Puritan Church develops into. Government Structure- Town Hall meetings. Every man in the church votes on town issues. Showcase for democracy.
Jeremiad New form of sermon. Religious Zeal began to wane after a few decades Sermons meant to shame people into piety “Sinners in the hand of an angry God”
Half- Way Covenant 1662- Membership qualifications are relaxed People can be just baptized to be members, don’t have to be fully converted. This was a response to the weakening of the church rule
Witch Trials Church now has a mixture of the pious and unconverted. 1692- 20 woman convicted of being witches and are put to death. 2 dogs die These were women that were outcasts.
New England’s Way of Life Felt they needed to improve the land. Roads, Fences, Livestock. “Yankee Ingenuity”
Roles in Colonial Society Men- Worked the land, Served in the government Women- Raised children, Ran the household Children- helped parents with chores, school when possible