1. Growth of the American Colonies 1.An Empire and Its Colonies 2.Life in Colonial America 3.African Americans in the Colonies 4.Emerging Tensions

2. Growth of the American Colonies 1.An Empire and Its Colonies

3. Why English Colonization? England’s government wanted the North American colonies to contribute to the parent country’s economic health Mercantilism – the more gold and silver a country had the wealthier and more powerful that country would be Unless you had colonies that had gold as a natural resource, like Spain, trade was the only other way to secure payments in gold.

4. Mercantilists believed that a nation should have colonies where it could harvest raw materials and sell products The colonies would supply the raw materials to England. The colonies would be a source of new markets so England could sell manufactured goods

5. Colonial trade would be limited to England only. Colonials would be very limited in what type of goods it could manufacture. Manufactured goods would be supplied by England Imports into the colonies would be provided by English merchants and traders.

6. In 1660, King Charles II approved a strong Navigation Act which tightened English control over colonial trade, thus enforcing its policy of mercantilism It required the colonies to sell certain goods (sugar, tobacco, and cotton) ONLY to England If the colonies wanted to trade a good to any other part of the world, they had to take it to England first and pay a duty, or tax to England

7. By the early 1700’s the English colonies shared a similar pattern of government: The Governor, whether appointed or elected, served as chief executive A colonial legislature served under the governor Colonial assemblies consisted of an upper house of prominent colonists, appointed by the King and a lower house elected by qualified voters – white male landowners

8. In theory, the royal governor has a great amount of power In reality, the colonial legislatures dominated the colonial governments –Passed tax laws and defense policy –Set salaries for royal officials –Influenced local appointments of judges and other officials –Upper house came to be dominated by local colonial leaders serving the interests of the colony rather than the royal governor

9. Why did the British Government allow its colonies freedom in governing themselves? Tradition of strong local government and weaker central power Lacked the resources to enforce its wishes 3000 miles away Colonists naturally loyal to Great Britain As long as the colonies prospered and Great Britain’s trade prospered, the British government was willing to allow the colonies to self govern without much British interference

10. Colonial Economies: The South Virginia, Maryland, parts of Delaware, South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia Economy based on agriculture and growing staple crops – crops in constant demand Geographic characteristics: Rich soil Mild winters Long growing seasons Abundant rainfall Products: Rice Indigo Tobacco Cattle and grain

11. Colonial Economies: Middle Colonies Pennsylvania, New York, parts of Delaware, and New Jersey Economy based on a mixture of farming and commerce Geographic characteristics: Fertile soil Moderate winters Rolling hills Rich mineral deposits Products: Timber Ironworks Furs Cattle and grain Commerce

12. Colonial Economies: New England Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Connecticut Economy based on a mixture of farming and commerce - “carrying trade” Geographic characteristics: Thin rocky soil Harsh winters Short growing season Cold coastal waters Good harbors Products: Timber Ironworks Furs Cattle and grain Commerce Shipbuilding Fishing

13. Growth of the American Colonies 2. Life in Colonial America

14. Colonial society consisted of a variety of groups with widely varying lives Common beliefs brought with them from Europe: People are not generally equal Wealthy were superior to the poor Men were superior to women Whites were superior to blacks Society was made up of “degrees” “Ranks and degrees” were as much a part of this world as “Mountains, and Plains, Hills and Vallies”

15. Trades and Occupations Artisans – also called tradesmen, learned their crafts from journeymen – boys often apprenticed themselves to learn the trade Pottery Tinsmith Shoemaker Cabinetmaker Blacksmith

16. Trades and Occupations Printers – produced almanacs, newspapers, books Farmers – usually self sufficient – produced all the goods necessary to live Fishermen – due to poor soils, turned to fishing for cod, bass, clams, mussels, crabs to be sold

17. Colonial Education School attendance was not required by law New England Puritans pioneered “public schools”, feeling it was necessary for all people to be literate – ability to read and write – so they could read the Bible Boys attended grammar school to prepare for college Girls did not go to school – learned from their mothers “womanly” skills like sewing, cooking Colonial colleges were primarily training grounds for ministers and lawyers

18. Women in Colonial America Most women were legal dependents of men and had no legal or political standing Married women could not own property, vote, hold public office, or serve on a Jury Women were responsible to a number of duties that contributed to the well-being of the household and the community Cooking, gardening, washing, cleaning, weaving cloth, and sewing

19. Growth of the American Colonies 3. African Americans in the Colonies

20. The Middle Passage was one leg of the triangular trade route between the Americas, Europe, and Africa It refers to the forced transport of slaves from Africa to the Americas –Between 10-40% mortality rate of slaves –Endured horrible conditions – heat, chains, disease, lack of sanitation Sometimes staged a mutiny – or revolt

21. Treatment of Slaves in the Colonies South Carolina and Georgia – Harsh labor conditions due to high temperatures and diseases in the “low country” – wetlands – ideal for growing rice and indigo Virginia and Maryland – cultivated tobacco, although labor intensive, did not take long to grow – slaves did a variety of other tasks –High cost of slaves encourage the growth of slave “families” New England and Middle Colonies – did not require slave labor for field work – most slaves were house servants or were taught skills and occupations

22. Growth of the American Colonies 4. Emerging Tensions

23. Westward Expansion – The colonists’ desire for more land raised tensions between Native Americans and the French who were in the Ohio River Valley, west of the Appalachian Mountains Religious Tensions – the Great Awakening – revival of religious feelings and a shift to Baptist and Methodist theologies –Old churches and strict religions gave way to these “new” ideologies, aimed at the middle or bottom of colonial societies