The Colonies Come of Age

I. Economics A.In the North there were thriving commercial cities with diverse economies. B. The southern colonies developed as regions of self sufficient plantations. –The Southern Colonies were becoming dependent upon slave labor.

II. The Enlightenment A. The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that began in Europe and spread throughout the colonies -philosophers valued reason and the scientific method. B. Ideas spread quickly through books and pamphlets. -Literacy rates were particularly high in New England

III. The Great Awakening A.The Puritans started losing their influence in New England. B.A series of religious revivals aimed at restoring the intensity and dedication of the early Puritan church swept through the colonies C.The movement restored many peoples Christian faith but it also challenged the authority of established churches.

IV. Effects A.Although the Great Awakening emphasized emotionalism and the Enlightenment emphasized reason, the two movements had similar consequences. B.Both caused people to question traditional authority and helped colonist to question Britain's authority over them.

V. The French and Indian War A.France and Britain were rivals for an Empire in North America. -A clash over the Ohio river valley set off the war

B. England wins the war and claimed virtually all of North America west of the Mississippi. C. To avoid further costly conflicts with Native Americans, the British government prohibited colonist from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains in the proclamation of 1763.

VI. How Will England pay for the war? A.The Sugar Act- enforcement of the tax on sugar imported to the colonies B.The Stamp Act- Requires that all documents have a stamp to prove a tax was paid. C.The colonist felt that Parliament did not have the right to tax the colonies because the colonies were not represented in parliament. D.The colonist responded by boycotting British goods.