Life in the 13 Colonies

Section Two The Middle Colonies

I. Breadbasket Colonies A. Advantages 1.rich soil, mild climate, long growing season 2.long deep rivers – easy transportation to sea B.Crops for Sale 1.produced more meat and grains than needed 2.cash crops – crops grown to be sold a.exported to other colonies, Europe, and West Indies b.also exported beef and pork 3.known as “breadbasket colonies” for producing so much grain

C. Taking Farm Goods to Market 1.shipped grain from Philadelphia and New York City 2.used the Delaware, Hudson, and Susquehanna Rivers for transport 3.West Pennsylvania Dutch developed Conestoga wagon. WHY? 4.Similar to wagons used to travel west “In the months of September and October, it is no uncommon thing, on the Lancaster and Reading roads, to meet in one day from fifty to one hundred of these wagons….” “In the months of September and October, it is no uncommon thing, on the Lancaster and Reading roads, to meet in one day from fifty to one hundred of these wagons….”

20 ft.

D. New York Farms 1.run by Dutch patroon system 2.5 wealthy families 3.Van Rensselaer family manor – nearly 2 million acres 4.tenants paid rent to patroon 5.attempts to rebel failed

II. Business, Trade, and Cities A. Other businesses 1.Millers ground grain 2.people worked on or built ships 3.merchants 4.spun thread, wove linen, knit wool at home 5.ironmakers, tailors, glassblowers, silversmiths 6.small shops selling hats, books, and tea from England 7.general stores 8.sawmills 9.brickmakers – bricks for houses and roads

B. Cities Grow Quickly 1.mid-1700s Philadelphia and New York largest cities 2.Philadelphia a.23,000 people in 1760 b.bigger than most cities in Great Britain 3.Baltimore major port city 4.Many cultures = many languages and building styles 5.Dutch House

III. A Different Kind of Community A. Middle Colonies settled by: 1.original Dutch and Swedish 2.Germans 3.French 4.British Isles (Scotch-Irish, Welsh, Scottish) B.Many Religions 1.no dominant religion 2.mostly Protestant 3.Amish and Mennonites 4.Quakers

C. Country Customs and Fun 1.immigrants worked together a.clear land b.barn raising c.sheepshearing, cornhusking, butchering 2.Fun a.footraces and jumping contests b.women spun together or made quilts

IV. Education and Training A. No public schools 1. private tutors 2. church or private schools 3. charity schools for poor B. Apprenticeships & 13 year olds 2. work for several years with a master 3. master required to provide food, clothing, and board. 4. sometime provided religious instruction, reading, and writing

V. The Frontier A. No public schools 1. private tutors 2. church or private schools 3. charity schools for poor B. Apprenticeships & 13 year olds 2. work for several years with a master 3. master required to provide food, clothing, and board. 4. sometime provided religious instruction, reading, and writing