COLONIAL SOCIETY ON THE EVE OF REVOLUTION

MINGLING OF RACES MILLION PEOPLE ½ AFRICAN AMERICAN DOUBLING NUMBERS EVERY 25 YRS. ENGLISH ADVANTAGE = 3 TO 1 SHIFT IN BALANCE OF POWER MOST POPULOUS COLONIES VIRGINIA, MASS, PENN, N.C., MARYLAND 4 BIG CITIES PHILADELPHIA, N.Y., BOSTON, CHARLESTON

CONT. GERMANS 6% 150,000 BY 1775 PENNSYLVANIA PROTESTANT SECT / LUTHERAN PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH 1/3 OF COLONY NO DEEP LOYALTY TO CROWN

CONT. SCOTS-IRISH 7 % 175,000 BY 1775 NOT PROSPEROUS IN NORTHERN IRELAND FIGHTING WITH IRISH CATHOLICS PENNSYLVANIA LAND TAKEN – PUSHED TO FRONTIER FIRST SETTLER OF THE WEST SQUATTERS RICKETY SETTLEMENTS FLOORLESS, FLIMSY LOG CABINS EXHAUSTED SOIL = MOVED ON PUGNACIOUS, LAWLESS, INDIVIDUALISTIC WHISKY

CONT. AFRICAN AMERICANS LARGEST, SINGLE, NON-ENGLISH GROUP 20% BY 1775 CONCENTRATED IN SOUTH 90% OF THE SLAVES

CONT. NEW ENGLAND COLONIES PURITANS LEAST ETHNIC DIVERSITY MIDDLE COLONIES VARIETY OF PEOPLES WHITE IMMIGRANTS 1775 ½ POPULATION NON ENGLISH “STRANGE MIXTURE OF BLOOD”

SOCIETY STRUCTURE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SMALL FARMERS MODEST HOLDINGS CITIES SKILLED ARTISANS / SHOPKEEPERS / TRADES PEOPLE SOCIAL LADDER = OPEN PAUPERS AND CONVICTS “JAYLE BIRDS”

JOBS CHRISTIAN MINISTRY = HONORED PROFESSION PHYSICIANS POORLY TRAINED BLEEDING EPIDEMICS INOCULATION = 1721 LAWYERS NOISY WINDBAGS

TRADE AGRICULTURE = LEADING INDUSTRY 90% STAPLE CROPS WHEAT CHESAPEAKE N.Y. = ,000 BARRELS OF FLOUR FISHING NEW ENGLAND WHALING LUMBER SHIPBUILDING MOST IMPORTANT MANUFACTURING ACTIVITY MASTS = KING

TRIANGULAR TRADE ROUTE

HORSEPOWER / SAILPOWER ROADS WERE HORRIBLE DEATH SENTENCE USED RIVERS AND WATERWAYS TAVERNS SAM ADAMS INTERCOLONIAL POSTAL SYSTEM

DENOMINATIONS CHURCH OF ENGLAND ANGLICANS GEORGIA, N.C, S.C, VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, AND PART OF N.Y. COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY 1693 = TRAIN CLERICS CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH GROWN OUT OF PURITAN CHURCH ALL NEW ENGLAND COLONIES EXCEPT R.I. ROMAN CATHOLICS = DISCRIMINATED AGAINST TOLERANCE??

GREAT AWAKENING 1730’S – 1740’S RELIGIOUS REVIVAL “DEAD DOGS” ARMINIANISM INDIVIDUAL FREE WILL DETERMINED PERSON’S ETERNAL FATE JONATHAN EDWARDS SALVATION THROUGH GOOD WORKS = FOLLY GEORGE WHITEFIELD NEW STYLE OF PREACHING = GREAT ORATOR

SCHOOLS BIBLE READING MAKE GOOD CHRISTIANS RATHER THAN GOOD CITIZENS EDUCATION = BOYS CAMBRIDGE = NEW ENGLAND PURITANISM PREPARING FOR MINISTRY WEALTHY FAMILIES = TUTORS DISCIPLINE SEVERE “BIRCHED”

POLITICS COLONIES ROYAL GOVERNORS MARYLAND, PENN, AND DELAWARE PROPRIETORS CONN, R.I. SELF-GOVERNING 2 HOUSE LEGISLATIVE BODY UPPER HOUSE = CROWN LOWER HOUSE = ELECTED BY PEOPLE

CONT. USED SNEAKY WAYS TO CONTROL AUTHORITIES SOUTH COUNTY GOVERNMENT NEW ENGLAND TOWN MEETINGS MIDDLE MODIFICATION OF THE TWO COLONIES NOT TRUE DEMOCRACY FAR MORE DEMOCRATIC THAN ENGLAND

CULTURE ENTHRALLED TO EUROPEANS TASTE POOR RICHARD’S ALMANACK “HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY” “PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED” SCIENCE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN PRINTING PRESS = ZENGER TRIAL PAMPHLETS NEWS PAPERS FEW LIBRARIES

FOLKWAYS ATE BETTER = MEAT CHURCHES NOT HEATED INEFFICIENT FIREPLACES NO RUNNING WATER PLEASURE COMBINED WITH WORK BARN RAISINGS STAGE PLAYS LOTTERIES NORTH = WINTER SPORTS SOUTH = CARD PLAYING, HORSE RACING ETC. THANKSGIVING CHRISTMAS