And Now… A Little Social History of the Colonies

Birth & Death Initial hardship stems from inadequate food, epidemics  early death Epidemics Malaria Dysentery Typhoid More Stats?

How did the harsh climate and soil, stern religion, and tightly knit New England town shape the Yankee character?  New England Family  Life in New England Towns  Half-Way Covenant  Salem Witch Trials  The New England Way of Live  Early Settlers’ Days and Ways

Life in New England Family was the center of life (close knit) Quadrupled population over the 2 nd half of the 17 th century Women married young & had multiple children (Average woman pregnant 10 times) 1 st generation: men, 71; women 70 2 nd generation: men, 65 (20 yrs. Longer than the South) Why?

Factors of Longevity in N.E. Cool climate Disease free environment Clean water Absence of large population centers

Life in New England cont. Children grew up in nurturing environments. (2 parents) Given guidance from both parents & grandparents What does this lead to? Good moral judgment? More tranquil social structure?

Life in New England cont. Village life Less of an ethnic mix Support for education But do some cracks begin to show? Halfway Covenant? Salem Witch Trials?

Being led to “Witch Hill”

Life in New England cont. Women rights were suppressed. Why do you think? Fear of hurting the integrity of marriage The Father or Husband seen as the leader of the family. More of an abundance of women

Why was the tobacco culture of early Maryland and Virginia so harsh and unstable? How did the environmental / demographic conditions of the Chesapeake affect the social, political, and economic life of the colonies?  Unhealthy Chesapeake  The Tobacco Economy  Bacon’s Rebellion  Southern Society

Chesapeake Region Mortality rates higher than elsewhere until mid 18 th century Men, 40; women, slightly less 1 in 4 children died in infancy; ½ died before age 20. 1/3 of marriages lasted greater than 10 years Children surviving infancy usually lost one or both parents before maturity. Downfall?

Chesapeake Region cont. What type of population does this create? Why is disease and death more common in the South than in New England?

Chesapeake Region cont. Weak families Immoral decisions Examples? Creates population of widows, widowers, & orphans Malaria common High salt content water There will eventually be an increase of life expectancy in the area. Why?

Women in the Chesapeake Stayed unmarried for short time due to need for labor. Why? Average European American married at years; Chesapeake women married at years on average. High mortality rate Women pregnant every 2 years; usually 8 children per woman.

Women in the Chesapeake Childbirth frequent cause of death Most women didn’t survive to see all children grow to maturity

Other factors Male to female ratio begins to change  population growth Early years, ¾ whites were men South, by 1650, 60% whites were male By 18 th century, male to female ratio begins to match England (balanced)

In the South… More defined hierarchy (Plantation society) Planters Small Farmers Landless Whites Indentured servants African slaves Women had greater freedom Men plentiful & women scarce –How did this empower women?

In the South… Women had greater freedom Men plentiful & women scarce –How did this empower women? Women had more choices in choosing a husband No fathers to control their choice Women were younger  Outlived their husbands  Left to manage the plantation which gave them what?

In the South… ECONOMIC POWER! Many remarried, especially if they had no sons. Why? Secure male assistance “Widowarchy”

Life of an Indentured Servant Why so popular at first? Headright system Forbidden to marry until terms of service expired If became pregnant before term of service expired, subject to: –Fines –Whipping –Added extra service to contract –Loss of the child

Life of an Indentured Servant Children of indentured servants often bound to service If contract expired before birth, partner could buy the contract and marry them. If contract expired after birth, subject to all of the punishments listed before. As time went on, most master took the “land” out of the freedom dues

Life of an Indentured Servant How do they fight back? Bacon’s Rebellion!! What does it lead to?

Slavery Most are capture from West Africa Middle passage Auction block Slave codes

What was the underlying cause of the expansion of African slavery in North America? Could the colonies’ labor problem have been solved without slavery? Colonial Slavery Africans in America NY, SC, and Stono River Slave Revolts Negro Act of 1740

What about the Middle Colonies? What do you think? Just like economic and political a mixed bag. Life expectancy better than the South, not as good as the North. Most ethnically mixed

If you were a _______, where would you live & why? Indentured Servant White male that was a member of the Church of England Young Married Couple Free Black Male Criminal running from the law Widow Woman Old Married Couple

Now you get to choose….. If you could take on ANY personality from the Colonial period… Who would you be? What would you do? Where would you live? Be able to give reasons to explain your choices.