Economies In the Colonies Southern Colonies – Based on commercial agriculture (Tobacco – 1 st cash crop) Rice, Indigo – Plantations – Tobacco High demand in Europe ( ) Intensive labor effort Virginia had perfect geography for growing tobacco – Few roads, everything moved by water – Indentured servants – Rice and Indigo South Carolina Used slaves Rice and indigo could be grown in different seasons in different types of ground

New England – Diverse economy (Farming, Fishing, Shipbuilding, Sawmills, Etc.) – Farming No large demand for their crops, No large plantations (Subsistence Farming) Main crop was corn – Also barley, oats, rye, beans, peas, pumpkins, squash, apples, berries – Raised livestock Fishing – Grand Banks (Great spot for fishing) – Brought most prosperity to New England – Whaling (Cape Cod, Nantucket) Shipbuilding / Mills – Lots of forests providing lumber – Fall Line (Waterfalls created powered mills) – Wood was important to every town – Ships easily built because forests and mills were close to the coast

Middle Colonies – Agricultural Base (Most fertile land on the continent, “Bread Basket “ colonies) Farmers produced a surplus Used rivers that ran deeper into the country to farm further inland Wheat Boom (Population explosion in Europe in early 1700’s) – New wave of immigrants, high demand for food – Made some farmers in the middle colonies rich » Entrepreneurs » Capitalists – Limits in technology kept many from becoming rich » Only those that could hire extra workers or could rent out land got rich

Colonial Society Southern Colonies – Plantation system created a distinct class system Wealthy elite controlled the area (politics, economics) – Planter Elite (Enormous economic and political influence) – Plantations were their own communities (Schools, chapels, blacksmiths, etc.) – Size of plantations grew with the change from indentured servants to slave labor in the early 1700’s Building of mansions Copying English upper class Hired oversees to work the fields – More leisure – Backcountry Farmers (Yeomen) Owned most of the land in the South Former indentured servants Mostly subsistence farming Bacon’s Rebellion – Sir William Berkeley – Dispute over Native controlled land in the back country – Nataniel Bacon – Accelerated the use of slavery in Virginia » Never would be free, so they couldn’t own land » Fewer white settlers were willing to become indentured servants

Slavery – million transported from Africa between 1450 and 1870, 2 million of which died at sea 3.5 million – Brazil 1.5 million – Spanish colonies 4 million – Carribean 500, 000 – North America – Horrific conditions on the voyage over – Some could gain freedom by converting to Christianity – As numbers increased status changed, soon all Africans were considered of a lower status. Hereditary system based on race – Slave Code (Virginia 1705) – Becomes a vital part of the plantation economy

New England – Social life centered on the towns – Desire to worship together encouraged the growth of communities – Town Meetings Anyone could attend, only men could vote Selectmen – Handled the towns affairs Could directly participate in government, unlike in England – Puritan Society Lived near Church (Meetinghouse) Very strict – Did, however, drink rum, wear bright colors, listen to music – God made the world and the things in it are to be enjoyed Salem Witch Trials

Middle Colonies – Distinct class system Wealthy entrepreneurs at the top Next those that owned a few acres, and generated a small surplus Landless workers (Rented land or worked for wages)

Trade and the Rise of Cities Triangular Trade – To get English goods, New England’s merchants had to trade their goods somewhere else, then trade with England Bills of Exchange Triangular Trade with Caribbean and England; England and West Africa

Growth of Urban Areas Growth of trade causes some ports to grow rapidly – Philadelphia, Charles Town Distinct Class System – Wealthy Merchants (Similar to Plantar Elite) at top Were in the minority – Artisans and their families (Half the Population) Carpenters, masons, coopers, irons, silversmiths – Innkeepers and Retailers (Equal to Artisans) – Unskilled laborers (30% of society) – Indentured servants and Slaves (10-20% of population) – Problems Overcrowding, crime, pollution, epidemics