Life in the colonies Chapter 4

Governing the colonies Chapter 4 section 1 (Page 102)

The English parliamentary tradition Colonies had shared English heritage, shared the idea the colonies had political rights. Magna Carta- “Great Charter” The first document to place restrictions on an English ruler’s power. -Protected private property. -The right to trial by jury.

Parliament Under the Magna Carta the Great Council was formed, developed into the English Parliament. Legislature- A group of people with the power to make laws. Retain- To keep.

English bill of rights 1688- “The Glorious Revolution.” Parliament removes King James II from power, nominates his daughter Mary, her husband William to the throne. 1689- William and Mary sign the English Bill of Rights. -Free Election of Parliament -Freedom of speech and debates Bill of rights- A written list of freedoms that a government promises to protect.

The English Bill of Rights Habeas corpus- The principle that’s a person cannot be held in prison without being charged with a specific crime. Levy- To force to be paid.

Colonial self government House of Burgesses- First legislature in English North America 1629- Massachusetts set up the General Court, five years later colonists receive the right to elect delegates to the General Court 1760- Every colony in North America had established a legislature.

The Right to vote 50-75% of white males colonists had the right to vote. Women, Native Americans, and Africans, free or not, did not have the right to vote.

Freedom of the Press Freedom of the press- The right of journalists to publish the truth without restriction or penalty. Libel- The publishing of statements that damage a person’s reputation.

Regulating trade The Navigation Acts (1651)- Shipments from Europe to English colonies had to go through England first. Any imports to England from the colonies had to come in ships built and owned by British subjects. The colonies could sell key products, such as tobacco and sugar, only to England. Colonists came to resent the Navigation Acts, led to smuggling.

Chapter 4 Section 2 (page 107) Colonial society Chapter 4 Section 2 (page 107)

The family in colonial times Many people lived with their extended family- a family that includes in addition to the parents and their children, other members such as grandparents, aunts , uncles and cousins. Most colonial families lived on farms, requiring lots of people. Big family= More labor= Advantage. Farms were separated by dense forests, made it necessary for families to be closely knit and self-sufficient.

Men, women, and children Men- Husband/father controlled the family income and property. Authority figure, voter of the family. Women- Married men chosen by their parents. Women considered men’s property. Wives were responsible for childcare and all domestic responsibilities. Tended chickens, churned butter, made clothing. Women had little to no role in public life.

Men, Women, and Children Children under 7- Not required to work. Played games such as leapfrog, hopscotch, and jump rope. Children over the age of 7- Required to work. Household chores. Boys were expected to work in the fields with their fathers, girls in the home with their mothers. Boys learned trades through apprenticeships. An apprentice- Someone who learns a trade by working for someone in that trade for a certain period of time.

Social classes Prospect- expectations, something to look forward to. Gentry- The upper class of society. Included planters, merchants, lawyers, and ministers. The Middle Class- made up of small planters, independent farmers, and artisans. Indentured Servants- or farmhands, singed contracts to work from 4 to 10 years in the colonies for anyone who would pay for his or her passage to the Americas. Free African Americans- Allowed to own property, allowed to be slaveholders. Not allowed to vote, or sit on juries.

Slavery in the colonies Chapter 4 Section 3 (Page 113)

The Atlantic Slave trade 1500’s-1800’s: More than 10 million slaves were transported to America. Spain, Portugal: First to bring African Slaves to America. The English, Dutch, and French also brought over slaves. Africans were traded for guns or gold, and then transported to America. 15-20% of Africans did not survive the Middle Passage (due to disease or suicide).

The Atlantic Slave Trade Once slave ships reached the Americas, men, women, and children were auctioned. Families were separated from each other. The majority of those sold ended up in Spanish colonies, Brazil, or the Caribbean.

Triangular trade

Triangular Trade Triangular trade- A three way trade between the colonies, the Islands of the Caribbean, and Africa. First Leg: New England to Caribbean, Fish, lumber. Caribbean to New England, Sugar, Molasses. Second Leg: New England to West Africa: Rum, guns. West Africa to New England: Human Cargo Third Leg: West Africa to Caribbean: Human Cargo. Caribbean to West Africa: Molasses.

Slavery in the colonies In the America’s slavery became a harsher system than ever before. For the first time, people were enslaved for life. The plantation system depended on slavery for high profits. 1639- Maryland passed a law stating baptism did not lead to liberty. 1663- Virginia courts ruled a child born to a slave was a slave too. Racism- The belief that one race is superior or inferior to another.

Resistance to slavery 1700’s- As conditions in England improved, the amount of indentured servants traveling to America diminished. Slave Codes- Strict laws that restricted the rights and activities of slaves. Slaves were not allowed to meet in large groups, own weapons, leave plantations without permission, or learn to read or write.

African cultural influences Only 10% of enslaved people lived north of Maryland, hired as blacksmiths or house servants, possibly allowed to buy their freedom. On southern plantations slaves saw few white colonists. These slaves kept their African customs. Spoke Gullah Crafted quilts, furniture, walking sticks Music; Drums, Banjo.

Chapter 4 section 4 (page 118) The spread of new ideas Chapter 4 section 4 (page 118)

The importance of education Puritans passed laws to promote education; Parents were required to teach their children and servants to read. A town with 50 families or more was required to establish an elementary school. Towns with more than 100 families were required to open grammar schools (high school). Public school- A school supported by taxes. Laws that required all children to attend school did not begin until the late 1800’s.

Colonial Schools Most schools included instruction of religion, because most schools operated with religious sponsorship. Colonial schools taught religion, reading, writing, and arithmetic. Dame schools- Schools that women opened in their homes to teach boys and girls to read and write.

Education for African americans Most colonial schools were restricted to white children. After slave codes outlawed teaching slaves to read and write, educated slaves taught other slaves in secret, some teaching themselves to read with borrowed or stolen books.

Roots of american literature Poetry -Anne Bradstreet: First colonial poet. Expressed the joys and hardships of life in Puritan New England. -Phillis Wheatley: Enslaved African American poet, became popular in Europe. Benjamin Franklin: Writer, businessman, scientist, inventor, and diplomat. (and dirty old man. Died of syphilis)

The Great Awakening 1700’s: Religious rules had become less strict. The Great Awakening: A religious revival movement. A reaction to the decline of religious zeal. Zeal- Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective. Jonathon Edwards- Massachusetts preacher, called people to examine their lives and commit themselves to god.

Impact of the great awakening Led to the rise of new churches; Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian. New churches led to increased religious tolerance. The Great Awakening reinforced democratic ideas: People began to realize if they could decide on their own how to worship god, they could decide how to govern themselves.

The Enlightenment The Enlightenment- The belief that all problems could be solved by human reason. John Locke- English philosopher. Believed in natural rights- rights that belong to every human being from birth. Specifically life, liberty, and property. Locke challenged the idea of divine right- the belief that monarchs get their authority to rule directly from god. Montesquieu- French thinker. Believed in separation of powers- the division of the power of government into separate branches.