Life in the Colonies Fast population growth Life was fragile Reason for grow Immigration People married early and had large families People lived longer – healthier place Life was fragile Epidemic of diseases Small pox women died in childbirth

A New American Spirit Immigrants brought their own culture, but fuse together into a new society New spirit of independence They adapted their tradition to new conditions of life Religion, education and the arts contributed to this new culture The Family was the foundation of American society

Family life Men Women Children Head of household Ran the house Ran farms and business Represented the family in the community Could vote Sons Became apprentices or ran farms Women Ran the house Sometimes work in the field Children Learn to work

American Beliefs American spirit and family were the foundation of American life. There was a commitment to education , religious beliefs and openness to new ideas

Colonial Education Education was highly valued. New England communities with 50 families had a school 85% of men 50% women could read and write Middle Colonies had Dame schools-widows or unmarried women ran schools Or private schools Colleges were set up to train ministers.

The Great Awakening Religion had strong influence in colonial life. Religious movement called the GREAT AWAKENING swept through the colonies in the 1730s and 1740s Return to a strong faith- Revival Two leaders- Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield Emphasized personal faith Inspired greater religious freedom United the colonist North and South Paved the way for rapid spread of revolutionary ideas

The Enlightenment The Enlightenment was a movement spread the idea that knowledge, reason, and science could improve society. Increased the interest in science It promoted freedom of thought and expression and equality and popular government Best example was Ben Franklin

Ideas of Freedom Freedom of the press became an important issue in the colonies John Peter Zenger case- was key step toward freedom of the Press in the U.S.

Civic Virtue Civic Virtue- democratic ideas, values, and practices that form a truly free society. Ben Franklin is the best example

THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION CHAPTER 4 SECTION 4 THE SPREAD OF NEW IDEAS PURITANS- made laws requiring towns with 50 families to provide for public elementary schools. The Three R’s- reading, writing and arithmetic (religion was required) New England Primer- 1st American reading textbook Dame Schools- young women taught young boys and girls to read and write. Boys went on to elementary schools, girls did not. Girls might attend during the summer when boys were working in the fields. Grammar Schools were like High Schools today but only for boys Colleges were for men only. Most were set up to train ministers. Harvard College -1638 was the 1st college in the colonies College of William & Mary- 1698 was the 1st college in the south Public School- schools supported by taxes. New England had public schools Middle Colonies had private and church schools Southern Colonies had few school Rich Gentry hired private teachers to come to their homes Poor families often had no education Enslaved African were not admitted to schools, however some Quakers and Anglican missionaries taught slaves to read and write

ROOTS OF AMERICAN LITERATURE The first American literature were sermons and histories. POETRY ANNE BRADSTREET 1st American poet. She expressed the joys and hardships of Puritan life. PHILLIS WHEATLEY African American poet. Enslaved but raised as a member of the family. She was later freed. Wrote first published poem at 14 years old. Wrote in a European scholarly style BEN FRANKLIN PUBLISHED A NEWSPAPER THE PENNSYLVANIA GAZETTE POOR RICHARD’S ALMANACK PITHY SAYINGS WITH A MORAL LESSON “Early to bed early to raise makes an man healthy, wealthy, and wise” Autobiography Franklin was a writer, businessman, community leader, scientist, inventor and diplomat.

THE GREAT AWAKING IMPACT OF THE GREAT AWAKING THE GREAT AWAKING-a period of emotion-pack Christian movement that swept through the colonies in the 1740s and 1750s. A period of religious revival in reaction to the decline of religious zeal. It became the first national movement in the colonies. JONATHAN EDWARDS Puritan minister that called on people to examine their lives Sermon : Sinners in the hands of a angry God George Whitefield Spread the revival through the colonies by touring the colonies and preaching IMPACT OF THE GREAT AWAKING Led to the rise of many new churches. i.e. Methodist and Baptist The growth of the new church led to more tolerance of religious differences It reinforced democratic ideas- if people could decide on how to worship God, they could decide how to govern themselves.

THE ENLIGHTENMENT IN THE 1600’S THINKERS CAME TO BELIEVE THAT ALL PROBLEMS COULD BE SOLVED BY HUMAN REASON. Thinkers looked for “natural laws” that governed politics, society, and economics JOHN LOCKE – ENGLISH ENLIGHTENMENT THINKER Published - Two Treatises Natural Rights- rights that belong to all people from birth (Life, Liberty, and property) given to people by God He challenged the idea of Divine Right of monarchy- the right to rule The main idea was that government exist to protect people natural rights. If the government fails to protect peoples rights, the people can change the government. BARON DE MONTESQUIEU French thinker wrote “The Spirit of the Law” Main idea: Government power should be divided (SEPARATION OF POWER) to keep one individual or group from gaining too much power. Branches of government