1. Risjord Jefferson’s America Pages 1-55

2. The Tour of America pages xv - 34 Told in the first person –Describes the aspects of everyday life, and the activities of commerce, and cultural differences in the colonies Proves that the population was very diverse –Descriptions of the various employments, socio-economics, religious, views, language, and customs found in the colonies –Descriptions of a suspicious people who are deeply divided by the customs and traditions they brought from their countries of origin –Descriptions of the African assimilation or lack of it »Seems to make a point that assimilation was only a mask or veneer which the slave wore »Seems to say that the Europeans tried to hide the fact they were also troubled by slavery issues » {The ferryman story, or the discussion with the Virginia slaves about run a ways} –Descriptions of social disparity based on wealth in south –Descriptions of open mindedness and belief that hard work could better you social position Provides evidence that the frontier settlements were scattered and in some cases tenuous Makes the argument that there was no general sense of what an American was –Tension and mistrust between English and Dutch –Describes a country with poor transportation routes and a sense that each group of colonist operates as a separate society

3. Trade and Commerce The gospel of work (the ethic of the middle class). –Franklin says “ Tis hard for a empty bag to stand upright.” America prospered in the four decades prior to the revolution. –The volume of trade increased geometrically in relation to the energy of the people »New England established the tradition of sea faring for its living by becoming the leading producer of ships (a major element of American export trade} »Men of commerce established new trade ventures in the Caribbean carrying necessities to the islands and returning with what would become New England's equivalent of Virginia’s tobacco cash crop {Rum} »The Middle Colonies developed not only their agricultural trade in grains but also became a leading producer of Pig Iron –The Key to New England and Middle Colony growth was the entrepreneurship of the middle class and the development of manufactures Virginia had a different idea of trade. The Virginian Plantation Class traded directly with England and established no merchant class of its own. –This worked effectively for the Virginians until the introduction of Scottish factors who bought directly from the growers in the colonies. »This created a rush by smaller farmers to purchase land and grow more tobacco. »Ultimately this caused overproduction and decreases in the price of tobacco. –The Virginia planter class found itself deep in debt and with no prospects to overcome the debt. Tensions over tobacco most likely contributed to the move toward independence in Virginia The Carolinas and Georgia had always worked through the factors and they experienced less disruption of their commerce as a result